A doubt....

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ESL forum > Ask for help > A doubt....

A doubt....

Samantha.esl

A doubt....

I �ve just read this phrase:

�I saw him at

6 o�clock yesterday. He was entering the house.�

Is it correct to use �enter � with +ing?
@Moravc and LibertyBelle! Thank you for making it clear to me... for some seconds I was puzzled as it didn´t sound familiar to me. I looked it up in the dictionary and didn´t show the option where it could take -ing form..

I´ve written here so as not to post again and hide your message moravc! You are most welcome, you have incredible works!! Thank YOU!

14 Feb 2010

libertybelle

That is fine - It �s no different than saying I saw him entering his house yesterday morning.

14 Feb 2010

moravc

I think so...
I would also say: "I saw him at 6 o �clock as/while he was opening the door."
And big thanks for your comment on my ws.
You made me really happy!
Hug

14 Feb 2010

moravc

BTW any native speakers on-line?

I was asked to write a list of examples of stative verbs, but in gerund :-)

eg: it is not possible to say " I was seeing the bird. (watching would be fine)"
but: Seeing him in those ridiculous clothes made me laugh. (is ok - it is not a progressive tense, it�s the name of activity...)

Can you help me to make a list of verbs which are USUALLY stative, but in some cases can be used with "ing"?
hate, mean, see, hear, believe, contain, ...?

Is there any sentence with "SEEMING" ??

14 Feb 2010

yanogator

moravc,

Any of the senses will be the same as "see", if it is in a passive sense.

I was hearing music from the next room. (no)

I �m not hearing very well today. (yes, since it �s an active use of the sense)

Hearing you say that made me happy. (yes)

Also, your "Seeing" sentence is good, except that "clothes" is plural, so it should be "those clothes".

I was seeing the bird. (no)

I �m seeing very clearly since I got new glasses. (yes)

Seeing him in those ridiculous clothes made me laugh. (yes)

I �m smelling a skunk. (no)

I �m smelling everything in the refrigerator to determine what is producing that odor. (yes)

Smelling roses always makes me remember my aunt. (yes)

As I think about it, it seems that "touching" doesn �t exist in a "passive" sense like the other senses. "Tasting" doesn �t seem to follow the rule very strongly.

"I �m tasting garlic" sounds OK to me, as does "I taste garlic". (meaning that I sense the flavor in my mouth, although I �m not eating garlic now)

The other form is difficult to use, but I have come up with "I was tasting different brands of chocolate to decide which to use in my cake."

Tasting chocolate could become a hobby, but I would be even fatter than I am.

I hope this helps, and isn �t confusing.

Bruce

14 Feb 2010

yanogator

"Seeming" is difficult, but is possible in very special situations (but not in continuous tenses).

Seeming like it was a dream, Alice followed the white rabbit down the hole.

14 Feb 2010

moravc

Thanks a lot! So interesting!

(and sorry for my mistake - "those" is correct...)

14 Feb 2010