use of "to lean"

Question

Hi everyone. I'm new on this forum.

I have a question regarding the usage of the verb "to lean".
What's the difference between:
She was leaning over the table when he came in.
She was leaned/leant over the table when he came in.
Are the two constructions legitimate?
Thank you very much for your support.

Khoshtip · Accepted Answer

To me, the first sentence is not natural.

Ciprian · Answer

Thank you for your answer. Would you be so kind as to explain to me why the first sentence sounds unnatural?

Khoshtip · Answer

I don't see leaning as a process. When you want to lean over something, it takes about one second usually not enough time for occurring some other event.
That is just an opinion.

Ciprian · Answer

I see your point. Still, the verb "to lean" is a dynamic verb (i.e. to incline, deviate, or bend from a vertical position) and as all dynamic verbs implies movement/action.
Let me provide another example. Imagine the woman speaking discovered her husband was cheating on her:
1. (woman speaking) She was leaning over him, when I entered the bedroom. (she, her husband's lover, was moving; she was in the act of bending over him)
2. (woman speaking) She was leaned over him, when I entered the bedroom. (she was not moving; that was her position)
What do you reckon?

Khoshtip · Answer

I don't imagine when someone is leaned over something needs any physical movement.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Hello, ciprian—and welcome to English Forums. Thank you for registering as a member.

ciprianShe was leaning over the table when he came in.

That is perfectly good and quite common.

ciprianShe was leaned/leant over the table when he came in.

That is OK, but not so common.

ciprianAre the two constructions legitimate?

Yes.

ciprianWhat's the difference

They both reveal the same image, but the '-ing' form accentuates the movement that is occurring or has just occurred.

Teechr · Answer

ciprianShe was leaning over the table when he came in.

This is a grammatically correct, natural and perfectly acceptable sentence in English!

In fact, it is a classic example of a past continuous/past simple situation. We use the past continuous for the longer action (in this case "lean") which starts before and gets interrupted by the shorter action (in this case "come in") for which we use the past simple.

Edit: cross-posted with Mister Micawber.

Mister Micawber · Answer

...to find Melissa badly hurt. She'd been shot. She was leaned over, and she was moving around
...but none of the men on the pier seemed to mind. They were leaned over the railing like my father, smiling, as if wishing
...We see that Austin is leaned over holding part of the tent. Felicity is rummaging through a duffel bag
...Hitting the front brake while the bike is leaned over is a recipe for a crash. Keep your upper body low

Ciprian · Answer

Thank you all.
Let me provide other examples so that you can understand what's puzzling me:

1. When I came in, she was leaned over the table, looking at a picture on the wall. (she was not moving; she was bent over the table, her gaze on the picture; that was her position)
2. When I came in, she was leaning over the table, looking at a picture on the wall. (she was moving; she, from an upright position, was leaning over the table, her gaze on the picture, in the very moment I came in and I cpuld see her moving)

And again (in a bar):
1. She was leaned over the counter, trying to kiss her lover when her boyfriend came in. (she was not moving; she was bent over the counter; that was her position)
2. She was leaning over the counter, trying to kiss her lover when her boyfriend came in. (she was moving; she, from an upright position, is leaning over the counter trying to kiss her lover in the very moment her boyfriend comes in and he can see her moving)

How would you explain the difference between these statements?

Teechr · Answer

I don't see "was leaning" as indicating a moving action at all!
I see it as describing a state, pretty much like "was leaned" in your sentences.

Consider:
The ladder was leaning against the tree.

use of "to lean"

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