Collins Cobuild English Grammar (205 page)

understand

Verbs of this type are sometimes called
stative verbs
. Verbs that can be used in the progressive are sometimes called
dynamic verbs
. For more information about
stative verbs
, see paragraph
4.69
.

There are other verbs that are traditionally described as stative, but that are sometimes used in the progressive, particularly in less formal texts. For more information about these verbs, see
4.69
.

R121
  
Be
is not generally used as a main verb in the progressive with adjectives that indicate permanent characteristics, or with attributes that do not relate to behaviour. However,
be
is used in the progressive to indicate someone’s behaviour at a particular time.

He
is
extremely nice.
He
was
an American.

You ‘
re being
very silly.

Have
is not used as a main verb in the progressive when it indicates possession, but it is sometimes used in the progressive when it indicates that someone is doing something.

I
have
two dinghies.
We
were
just
having
a philosophical discussion.

R122
  Some verbs have very specific senses in which they are not used in the progressive. For example,
smell
is often used in the progressive when it means
to smell something
, but rarely when it means
to smell of something
. Compare the sentences
I was just smelling your flowers
, and
Your flowers smell lovely
.

Here is a list of verbs that are not usually used in the progressive when they have the meanings indicated:

appear (seem)

depend (be related to)

feel (have an opinion)

fit (be suitable/be the right size)

hear (be aware of a sound)

mean (have a particular meaning)

measure (have length)

recognize (identify a person)

smell (of something)

taste (of something)

weigh (have weight)

R123
  The
imperative
form of a verb is regarded as finite, because it can stand as the verb of a main clause. However, it does not show tense in the same way as other finite verb phrases. It is always in the base form. See paragraphs
5.35
to
5.39
for the uses of the
imperative
.

Stop
being silly.
Come
here.

Infinitives and participles

R124
  Infinitives and
-ing
participles are used after certain verbs such as
stop
,
like
, and
want
(see paragraphs
3.182
to
3.212
) and
-ing
and
-ed
participles also used in certain
subordinate clauses
(see the section on subordinate clauses in
Chapter 8
). Infinitives and
-ing
participles are also used in some structures with
impersonal
it
(see paragraphs
9.31
to
9.45
).

To
-infinitives are also used after some nouns and adjectives (see paragraphs
2.293
to
2.302
, and
2.51
to
2.62
). You can also use
-ing
participles as the objects of prepositions.

Participles and infinitives can have objects, complements, or adverbials after them, just like verbs that have a tense. A clause beginning with a
to
-infinitive is called a
to
-infinitive clause, a clause beginning with an
-ing
participle is called an
-ing
participle clause, and a clause beginning with an
-ed
participle is called an
-ed
participle clause.

R125
  The order of auxiliaries is the same as for verbs that have a tense (see paragraph
R89
).

R126
  The active
to-
infinitive
consists of
to
and the base form of the verb. This is sometimes simply called the
infinitive
.

I want
to escape
from here.
I asked David
to go
with me.

R127
  The active
infinitive without
to
consists of the base form of the verb. It is sometimes called the
bare infinitive
.

They helped me
get
settled here.

R128
  Other active infinitive forms are occasionally used.

The
present progressive infinitive
consists of
to be
or
be
, followed by the
-ing
participle.

It is much better for young children
to be living
at home.

The
perfect
or
past infinitive
consists of
to have
or
have
, followed by the
-ed
participle.

Only two are known
to have defected
.
She must
have drowned
.

The
perfect
or
past progressive infinitive
consists of
to have been
or
have been
, followed by the
-ing
participle.

I seem
to have been eating
all evening.

R129
  There are also
passive infinitives
. The ordinary
passive infinitive
consists of
to be
or
be
, followed by the
-ed
participle.

I didn’t want
to be caught
off guard.
He let it
be known
that he would be home all evening.

The
perfect
or
past passive infinitive
consists of
to have been
or
have been
, followed by the
-ed
participle.

He seems
to have been
completely
forgotten
.

R130
  The table below gives a summary of infinitives. The passive infinitives marked with a star are very rarely used.

R131
  The
-ing
participle
is used as a verb phrase, usually with an active meaning.

You could play me a tune, said Simon,
sitting
down.
He could keep in touch with me by
writing
letters.

R132
  Combinations beginning with
having
are occasionally used.

The
perfect
or
past
-ing
form
consists of
having
and the
-ed
participle.

Ash,
having forgotten
his fear, had become bored and restless.

R133
  There are also combinations beginning with
being
and
having
, which have a passive meaning.

The ordinary
passive
-ing
form
consists of
being
and the
-ed
participle.

…fears that patients would resent
being interviewed
by a computer.

The
perfect
or
past
-ing
form
consists of
having been
and the
-ed
participle.

Having been declared
insane, he was confined in a prison hospital.
They were taken to hospital after
having been wounded
by gunshot.

R134
  The table below gives a summary of
-ing
forms. The
-ing
form marked with a star is very rarely used.

R135
  The
-ed
participle
is also used as a verb phrase, with a passive meaning.

Stunned
by the attack, the enemy were overwhelmed.
When
challenged
, she seemed quite surprised.

Forming adverbs

R136
   The uses of adverbs are explained in
Chapters 2
,
4
,
6
, and
10
.

R137
   Most adverbs are related to adjectives in form, and often in meaning. They are formed by adding
ly
to the adjective. For information on which adjectives you can add
ly
to, see paragraphs
6.17
to
6.27
.

sad		sadly
cheerful		cheerfully
private		privately
accidental		accidentally
surprising		surprisingly