眾所周知,英語動詞有時態。在理論上，每個動詞都可以有不同時態;事實上，并不如此。特別要注意的是，有些動詞通常不以“進行式時態”(continuous tenses)出現，不管這進行式時態是現在的、過去的、現在完成的等等。

這樣的動詞是指哪些呢?

㈠ 與“情緒”有關的，如“want, desire, prefer, love, hope, hate, like, dislike, wish, forgive”等。

㈡ 與“五官”有關的，如“see, hear, smell, feel, notice, taste”等。

㈢ 與“擁有”有關的，如“owe, own, belong, possess”等。

㈣ 與“思考”有關的，如“understand, realise, mean, know, remember, forget, believe, suppose, agree, think imagine, recall, recognise, mind”等。

㈤ 接系動詞，如“appear, seem, become, get, grow, turn, remain, look, sound”等。

㈥ 助動詞，如“be, have”等。

㈦ 其他，如“equal, contain, deserve, need, depend, result, consist, care, doubt, differ, find”等。

因此，避免用(a)這樣的句子;可用像(b)或(c)這樣的句式：

①a. We are noticing a stranger entering the shop.

b. I noticed him stand near the cashier.

c. Have you noticed anything wrong with him?

②a. I am liking to be honest.

b. You don’t like to be a liar, do you?

c. Yes, we all dislike liars.

③a. You have done something wrong. Are you realising your mistake?

b. Yes, I realise it.

c. It’s really good for you to have realised your wrong-doing.

雖然在習慣上，上述幾類動詞不以進行式時態出現，但在特殊情況下或動詞的意思轉變時，有關的動詞也可以用進行式的。例如：

⒈當主語意識強烈時或緊密地運用某感官時，與這感官有關的動詞這時便可以進行式出現，如：

④ Don’t disturb your parents. They are listening to the news.

⑤ Why are you smelling the fish like that? Do you think it has gone wrong?

⑥ The police are watching the house to make sure that nobody leaves it.

⑦ The doctor is feeling the boy’s forehead with his eyes closed.

⑧ Mother was tasting the soup to make sure if it was nice.

⒉當意思轉變時，感官動詞可以是進行式時態，如：

⑨ The Selection Committee is seeing the shortlisted applicants now.(面試)

⑩ We have been hearing about his problems. What can we do to help?(獲悉)