English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Verbs in these categories are not used in the continuous tense:
1. Verbs of the mind. Examples: understand, believe.
I don’t understand this (not, I’m not understanding this).
2. Verbs showing emotion. Examples: love, desire, want.
I want that (not, I’m wanting that).
3. The verbs showing the five senses of humans: see, hear, feel, taste, smell.
I can hear you (not, I’m hearing you).
We shall proceed to exceptions to this rule in the next lesson.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Academic Advisor, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan;
