ENGLISH

18. A: Excuse me. (you, wait) for the
downtown bus?
B: Yes, I (be) . Can I help you?
A: Yes. What time (the bus, stop) here?
B: Ten thirty-five.
19. A: (animals, dream) ?
B: I don't know. I suppose so. Animals (be, not) very
different from human beings in lots of ways.
A: Look at my dog. She (sleep) . Her eyes (beJ
and (move)
(dream)
right now. I'm sure that @, ",!
animals (dream)
closed. At the same time, she (yip)
her head and
--
her front legs. I (be)
sure that she
A T -
(a) I'm hungry right now. I want an apple.
(INCORRECT: lam wanting an apple.)
(b) I hear a siren. Do you hear it too?
(MCORRECT: I'm hearing a siren. Are you
hearing it too?)
Some verbs are NOT used in the present progressive.
They are called "nonaction verbs." In (a): Want is a
nonaction verb. Want expresses a physical or
emotioml need, not an action. In @): Hear is a
nonaction verb. Hear expresses a sensory experience,
not an action.
NONACTION VERBS
want
need
like
loere
hate
hear
see
smell
taste
understand
know
believe
think (meaning believe)*
*Sometimes think is used in progressive tenses. See Chart 3-10 for a discussion of think about and dink that.
EXPRESSING PRESENT TIME (PART 2) H 95