Understanding/understand

I understand biology. . . .

Most stative verbs, like see, hear, and so on, didn't always have a continuous form, but over the ages, things have changed and today we have:

I hear
I am hearing what you're saying.

I see
I am seeing her.

And the up and coming, *"I'm understanding it", which is still unacceptable, but is nonetheless out ther

I'm understanding/I understand biology a lot better now that we're got a new teacher.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The way to illustrate this progressive 'understanding' is to use another verb in conjunction with the stative one.

I'm starting/beginning to understand biology better now that ...

The way we ENLs often illustrate

Could you define your terms, please. Also, why not choose terms that express inclusivity rather than those expressing exclusivity?

Try,

The way to illustrate. . . .



All the best, JTT

Whichever one you mean, of course!

If you understand biology (the whole field of biology as a unit, the grand plan of biological theory, how it all fits together and makes sense), say "I understand ..."

If you are understanding individual lessons the teacher gives, one after another, having more successful experiences in comprehending what you read in each chapter in your biol

I agree with both Jim and Casi on this and I think it's a matter of degree. But I don't think it's quite as easy to discern for ESL learners as Jim suggests, so I'll throw out this caution.

"I'm understanding" googled got 43,600 hits.

"I understand" googled got 7,200,000 hits.

Allowing that a Google search is not a perfect means of gauging language use, I think it's

"I'm understanding" googled got 43,600 hits.

Could you clarify two things for me, JTT. Did you google "understanding" as a transitive verb or as an adjective, and how many of the 43,600 were native English speakers?

Verb: I am understanding biology.
Adjective: I am understanding, flexible, and ready to work.

I'd suggest that it w

Could you clarify two things for me, JTT. Did you google "understanding" as a transitive verb or as an adjective, and how many of the 43,600 were native English speakers?

Verb: I am understanding biology.
Adjective: I am understanding, flexible, and ready to work.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

'I'm understanding it...' seems happiest with a comparative and an expression of time:

1. 'I'm understanding it more and more these days.'
2. 'I'm understanding it better than I used to.'

I agree that it has an incremental feeling.

'I'm beginning to understand...' has a different nuance, to my mind. It's more tentative: as if we don't want to sound too confident

Good points, Mr P.

Yes. I forgot to mention -- the adverb "gradually" only goes with the progressive aspect. (Mr. P's "incremental" idea.)

I'm gradually understanding more and more biology every day.
*I gradually understand biology.