Gareth King - Colloquial English - A Complete English Language Course

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Now look at the second example.

Some state verbs in English have secondary meanings which describe actions . Here are some examples:

(state)

have

=

possess

(action)

have

=

receive; eat food

(state)

think

=

believe; have an opinion

(action)

think

=

think about something; turn something

over in your mind

(state)

look

=

have appearance

(action)

look

=

use your eyes to see

(state)

see

=

understand

(action)

see

=

visit

So when Sarah says:

She’s seeing him later on

she’s using the action meaning of see(‘visit’), and so the present continuous is correct.

Here are other examples using the verbs above:

Adrian has a yellow car

(possess)

Adrian’s having eggs for lunch

(eat food)

I think this book’s wonderful

(opinion)

Be quiet – I’m thinking

(think about something)

Candace looks cross

(has appearance)

Candace is looking at her desk

(use eyes to see)

Exercise 4

Decide between the two choices in the brackets – you will have to consider whether the verb is used in its action meaning or its state meaning.

1

I (’m thinking/think) hard about that question.

2

(Are we having/Do we have) eggs for breakfast this morning?

3

You (look/’re looking) very like your sister.

4

Tom (thinks/’s thinking) Indian food’s good for you.

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5

What’s that book you (look/’re looking) at?

6

I (don’t see/’m not seeing) what he means.

7

Simon (has/’s having) a second-hand Ferrari.

8

Dave (doesn’t see/isn’t seeing) his girlfriend this weekend.

Language point 50 – -ing and to-forms

after verbs

In colloquial English there are different ways of joining two verbs together. In Dialogue 5 Scott says:

I can’t wait to see the new Johnny Depp film

but

I can’t help laugh ing at her picturesSome verbs are followed by the TO-FORM of the second verb, while others are followed by the ING-FORM, and it’s important to learn which is correct with each verb – if you get them wrong it will sound wrong!

I can’t wait to see you

not ‘I can’t wait seeing you’

I can’t help laughing

not ‘I can’t help to laugh’

Here are some common verbs and verb phrases followed by -ingor to:

Do you fancy

promise

Do you feel like

arrange

I can’t help

seem

avoid

+ -ing

pretend

+ to

put off

decide

I don’t mind

I can’t wait

I hate

• Do you fancy doing . . . ?and Do you feel like doing . . . ?both mean Would you like to do . . . ?

• I can’t wait to do . . .means I’m very keen/impatient to do . . .

• I don’t mind doing . . .means I’m happy to do . . .

When you putsomeone off doingsomething, you persuade them not to do something.

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Good learners’ dictionaries will always tell you whether to use -ingor toafter a verb or verb phrase.

Exercise 5

This exercise is to give you dictionary practice – you will need a good learners’ dictionary of English. Decide whether to use the TO-FORM

or the ING-FORM in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

1 I can’t wait (see) the new film.

I can’t wait to see the new film.

2 Don’t forget (order) the tickets.

__________________________ .

3 She promises (come) back later.

__________________________ .

4 The government is offering (help) with the costs.

__________________________ .

5 I always enjoy (have) dinner with Julie.

__________________________ .

6 Remember (lock) the door.

__________________________ .

7 Suzie hates (do) the shopping.

__________________________ .

8 We’re going (swim) this afternoon.

__________________________ .

9 I don’t want (offend) him.

__________________________ .

10 Why don’t you give up (smoke)?

__________________________ ?

11 We can’t avoid (see) them.

__________________________ .

12 Will Brenda decide (apply) for that job?

__________________________ ?

13 I don’t mind (pay) the bill.

__________________________ .

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14 Do you fancy (learn) yoga?

__________________________ ?

15 You don’t happen (know) where he is, do you?

__________________________ ?

16 Dave doesn’t really like (cook).

__________________________ .

17 I’d better pretend (be) ill.

__________________________ .

18 James needs (fly) to Australia next week.

__________________________ .

19 We hope (see) you all again soon.

__________________________ .

20 We’d better put off (see) them till next week.

__________________________ .

Language point 51 – ‘else’

Elsemeans ‘other’; but it’s only used with: 1

PRONOUNS ending in -one, -bodyand -thing, for example: anyone else

(= any other person)

nobody else

(= no other person)

nothing else

(= no other thing)

someone else

(= some other person)

2

the place adverbs somewhere, anywhereand nowhere: somewhere else

(= in some other place)

nowhere else

(= in no other place)

anywhere else

(= in any other place)

3

question words:

who else?

what else?

where else?

(= in what other place?)

why else?

(= for what other reason?)

how else?

(= in what other way?)

when else?

(= at what other time?)

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You must use elserather than otherwith these words: Shall we invite anyone else?

not

‘Shall we invite anyone other?’

not

‘Shall we invite any other person?’

But what else(pronoun) becomes what otherwhen used as an adjective with a following noun:

What else do you want to buy?

not

‘What other do you want to buy?’

but

What other books do you want to buy?