Transcript The Progressive Aspect

Progressive Forms
Lecture 14
The Progressive Aspect
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The progressive aspect allows us to present an
event in different ways:
as unfolding in time (progressive VP, i.e. marked for
progressive aspect) or
as completed (non-progressive VP, i.e. not marked
for progressive aspect).
The marking for progressive aspect consists of a
form of be + the suffix -ing added to the next verb in
the VP.
Do not confuse this with the use of -ing forms in
non-finite clauses or as modifiers.
A progressive verb form vs. a nonprogressive (or simple) verb form:
Simple verb form
Progressive verb form
Characteristic and
permanent properties of
persons and things
John is polite.
Mary plays the piano.
Observable and
changeable behaviour of
persons;
evidence/manifestations of
changeable properties of
things
John is being polite.
Mary is playing the piano.
The roof leaks.
The roof is leaking.
Types of verb - dynamic verbs and state
verbs
Dynamic verbs
State verbs
Changeable event
Permanent
conditions/properties
Typically under human Reactions of the
control
senses/mind
beyond human control
Dynamic verbs - the progressive form represents
the middle phase of the action
She wrote a letter. vs.
She was writing a letter.
The progressive aspect brings different types of
meaning to different types of dynamic verbs:
A. Durative action verbs: sing, swim, write.
Progressive 'temporary, ongoing action'
John sings well.
vs.
John is singing in the shower.
B. Momentary action verbs: knock, kick, nod.
Progressive 'repeated momentary action'
Someone is knocking on the door.
Dynamic verbs
C. Transitional event verbs: break, die,
drown, stop.
Progressive 'approach to transition'
The old man was dying. vs. The old man died.
D. Process verbs: become, change, get,
grow, weaken.
Progressive 'on-going process'
It was getting dark. vs. It got dark.
Potentially variable states
A. Verbs of position: sit, stand, lie, stay, live
Progressive 'temporary situation'
She was sitting on the sofa. vs. She always sits in that corner.
B. Bodily sensation verbs: ache, hurt, itch, tingle
Progressive 'temporary situation'
My head is aching. vs. My head aches whenever I read Kafka.
State verbs
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A. Verbs of perception: see, hear, feel, taste, smell
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B. Intellectual/emotional states: know, remember,
believe, forget, admire, appreciate
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C. Physical and abstract relationships: be (tall,
old, ...), remain; have, own, possess; belong to, contain;
become, fit, suit; mean, equal; cost, weigh; differ from,
resemble; concern, involve
Complications with state verbs:
1. homonymous dynamic verb forms:
He saw the car coming. (stative: 'perceive visually')
He was seeing her to the airport. (dynamic: 'accompany')
The doctor is seeing another patient. (dynamic: 'admit for
consultation')
Do you think that's true? (stative: 'believe')
Are you thinking of leaving? (dynamic: 'plan', 'consider')
The soup smells good. (stative: 'emit smell')
The guests smelt the burning toast. (stative: 'perceive
smell')
The cook is smelling the soup. (dynamic: 'inhale fumes')
Complications with state verbs:
2. adverbials denoting gradual change turn
stative verbs into process verbs:
He resembles his father. (stative: 'look like')
He's resembling his father more and more
these days. (process: 'become like')
I forget how you say that in Russian.
(stative: 'not remember')
I'm gradually forgetting my Russian.
(process: 'lose from memory')
Tense and aspect
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The present progressive - can be used to
present an event in future time as the
outcome of present plan, with or without an
adverbial which makes the future time
reference explicit:
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John is going to Paris next week.
Are you coming to the party?
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The past progressive
The simple verb form ('completed action') vs. the
progressive verb form ('on-going action'):
Mary wrote a letter. (completed action)
Mary was writing a letter. (on-going action)
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As a consequence it is possible to use the progressive
form with a framing (backgrounding) function, while the
simple form represents an action, which took place
within the temporal frame:
Mary was writing a letter when the phone suddenly rang.
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The perfective progressive
In combination with present tense and perfective aspect, the
simple verb form and the progressive verb form express the
expected kind of meaning contrast:
You've been painting the door. vs. You've painted the door.
(incomplete vs. completed action in the past with present
relevance)
An adverbial which expresses continuity combines with the
progressive form:
Peter has been painting the garage door all morning.
An adverbial which refers to a completed period combines
with the non-progressive form:
Paul has painted the kitchen door in less than an hour.