LEARNER'S ENGLISH GRAMMAR 2004 by Masaya Oba

14-1 [V EPD {Progressive}:PROG]
The third group of V EPDs is called a V EPD {Progressive}(PROG), or "be-ing". This type of EPD, optionally combined with a verb(V), adds the meaning of {Progressive}.

      (1)  The computer is writing a novel now.

14-2 [Diagram]
Sentence (1) is formed as shown in (2).

      (2)  The computer + PRS + be-ing +  write a novel + now
                                      
      (3)  The computer       is     writing a novel      now.(=1)

The diagram of the verb phrase is:

      (4)      (is writing a novel)
                         V
                         
                EPD[AGR]      V
                 (PRS)        
                       EPD[PROG]   V
                       (be-ing)  (write a novel)

     Focusing on "be-ing" in (2), we see that the first part "be" is connected with PRS to be "is"; the second part "-ing" is fused into a Ving form, "writing a novel." The leftmost part of Ving has been traditionally and strangely called a present participle, though it has nothing to do with the present time. In this book, it is called a progressive participle, because it is closely related to the progressive usage.

14-3  [Meanings of PROG("be-ing")]
     The basic meaning of "be-ing" is {Progressive}.

    (i) {Progressive}
      (5)  Someone is wiretapping.
      (6)  You're not answering my question.

However, according to the nature of the verb(V) and the influence of an adverb(AD) before or after it, the meaning of "be-ing" may change to {Repeated Action}, {Scheduled Future} or {Complaint}.

   (ii) {Repeated Action}

When "be-ing" is added to a verb(V) meaning {Instant Action}, this EPD means {Repeated Action} as in:

      (7)  A light was flashing.
      (8)  Tommy is cutting his piano lessons these days.

    (iii) {Scheduled Future}

When "be-ing" is added to a verb(V) such as "come", "go", "leave", and "arrive", it means {Scheduled Future} as in,

      (9)  My parents are leaving tomorrow.
     (10)  Everybody except Bill is coming to the party.

     (iv) {Complaint}

Finally, when "be-ing" occurs with adverbs like "always" it means {Complaint} as in:

     (11)  Mary is always leaving her dirty socks on the floor.
     (12)  They're always making an old man of me.

The last three meanings are considered to be a kind of {Progressive}.

14-4 [Unapplicable PROG]
A stative verb usually can't go with "be-ing", because it originally has the meaning of {Progressive} in it.

     (13)  *I'm knowing the news.
     (14)  *He is having a big house.

But when it refers to a temporary state which therefore seems to be almost an action, it can appear with "be-ing".

     (15)  We're living in London at the moment.
     (16)  Tommy is being a bad boy today.

Since a verb(V) can have more than one meaning, it is not correct to say that such and such a verb takes "be-ing" while such and such a verb does not. Examine the interesting examples in the following.

   (17)a. I can hear it now.   (Scheffer, p.69)
       b. The judge is hearing a case just now; you'll have to wait.

We should say that a verb can go with "be-ing" when its meaning is close to {Action}, while it can't when its meaning is close to {State}.