Unit 4. Present Continuous and present simple (2)

We use continuous tenses only for actions and happenings (they are eating / it is raining etc.).

Some verbs (for example, know and like) are not action verbs. You cannot say 'I'm knowing' or 'they are liking'. you can only say 'I know' , 'they like'.

The following verbs are not normally used in continuous tense:
like  love  hate  want  need  perfer  know  realise  suppose  mean  understatnd  believe  remember
belong  contain  consist  depend  seem

• I'm hungry. I want something to eat. (not 'I'm wanting')
• Do you understand waht I mean?
• Ann desn't seem ver happy at the moment.

We normally use the present simple (not continuous) with these verbs:

see  hear  smell  taste

• Do you see that man over there? (not 'are you seeing')
• This room smells. Let's open a window.

We often use can + see/hear/smell/taste:

• Listen! Can you hear something?

But you can use the continuous with see (I'm seeing) whe the meaning is 'having a meeting with' (especially in the future)

• I'm seeing the manager tomorrow morning.

The present continuous of be is I am being / he is being / you are being etc.

He is selfish and He is being selfish

I'm being = 'I'm behanving / I'm acting'.

• I can't understand why he's being so selfish. He isn't usually like that.
  (being selfish = behaving selfishly at the moment)
• He never thinks about other people. He is very selfish. (not 'he is being')
  (=he is selfish generally, not only at the moment)

We use am/is/are being to say how somebody is behaving. It is not usually possible in other sentence.

• It's hot today. (not 'it is being hot') 
• Sarah is ver tired. (not 'is being tired')

You can use the present simple or continuous whe you say how somebody looks or feels now:

look  feel

• You look well toady. or You're looking well today.
• How do you feel now? or How are you feeling now?
• I usually feel tired in the morning. (not 'I'm usually feeling')