Gerunds/help

Forum > English only || Bottom

[POST A NEW REPLY] [Subscribe to this topic]

Gerunds/help
Message from setareh1564 posted on 24-10-2012 at 14:49:41 (D | E | F)
Hello,

you said state verbs never take -ing but in the exercise
Mary doesn't like (be) being late for school.
in the above sentence I wrote 'be' in the blank but the answer is 'being'.
I give up 10 points of my score.
Please tell me why.
Thank you for your answers.

-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 24-10-2012 14:55

Re: Gerunds/help from gerondif, posted on 24-10-2012 at 15:05:47 (D | E)
Hello,

to "take ing" doesn't mean much:

1) State verbs are not often conjugated in the present continuous:
You say: I am French, not I am being French.

But you could have something like:
My car is being repaired.
I am being followed.

And Mac Donald's says: "I'm loving it"!

2) The gerund (transforming a verb into a noun thanks to "ing") exists both for action verbs and state verbs.
SUBJECT...................................OBJECT
Driving fast is dangerous; I hate driving fast.(action)
Arriving late isn't polite. I hate arriving late.(action)
Being late isn't polite; I hate being late.(state)
Being elegant is essential. I love being elegant.(state)

Re: Gerunds/help from longrr, posted on 26-10-2012 at 03:59:38 (D | E)
So that's it.

Re: Gerunds/help from violet91, posted on 27-10-2012 at 20:13:05 (D | E)
Hello
Present v-ing with 'to be' doesn't mean the same thing as to be, used alone : look !
- Are you being idiot ? ( temporary state : are you behaving like an idiot , you who are so intelligent ?)
- Are you idiot ? would be so rude and desperate .( a definitive state)
I am not thinking of anyone here, of course.

Back to sentence - Mary does not like being late . The gerund used here means she is always late or it is taken as a general statement.
Ex . I love speaking with him ( all the time , at any moment , it is delightful)
If you were asked to use a gerund , then you had to . But, your suggestion could be right in another context.
- Mary does not like to be late : is also possible . It means from time to time or even once !
Ex. I love to speak with him ( now and then, when I have an opportunity ; I can also love to speak to others ).

Re: Gerunds/help from gerondif, posted on 28-10-2012 at 12:42:04 (D | E)
Hello,

to go on with Violet's explanations..........
You use the gerund after like when you have already done it:
I like swimming, I love watching westerns.

But if it is something you have never done, or a concept, then you will use the infinitive:
I like swimming but I wouldn't like to swim in that dirty canal.
I love to teach in good conditions

[POST A NEW REPLY] [Subscribe to this topic]

Forum > English only