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，並不如此。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)