The Usage of “Like” in Progressive Aspect
49782023 徐子婷 49782024 劉玉婷 49782039 蔡雅倫 49782049 游欣樺
Introduction
Background
The progressive aspect or sometimes is being called the durative or continuous
aspect indicates a happening in progress at a given time. (Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech,
& Svartvik, 1985) We can compare two sentences as follows to better understand this
aspect:
1. Jack dances well. [Simple aspect]
2. Jack is dancing well. [Present progressive]
The two sentences have same tense but different aspects. The difference makes
the different meaning of these sentences. Sentence [1] indicates that Jack has talent in
dancing. He is good at dancing. This shows Jack’s competence and it may be a
permanent ability. However, sentence [2] refers to Jack’s performance on a particular
occasion or time. It underscores the movement or the going-on event.
After getting familiar with the progressive aspect, our group is wondering
whether this aspect fits all of the verbs or not. Is there any verb that is excluded in this
aspect? The verb “like” is commonly used in our life. However, the verb is usually
used in simple aspect (like/liked) but seldom or never found in progressive aspect.
Therefore, we assumed that the verb “like” doesn’t fit in this criteria. “Like” in
progressive form is meaningless or even wrong.
According to The Corpus of Contemporary American English, there are simply
several records in using “like” in progressive aspect. Therefore, this paper will find
out whether using “like” in progressive aspect as “liking” is proper or not so as to
figure out if using “liking” is common for native speakers as well as non-native
speakers. As a result, we incline to find out the possibility of the verb “like” used in
progressive form and learn more about usage of the verb so as to reduce the mistakes
when using the verb in future.
Research question
Why the verb “like” is seldom used in progressive aspect?
Methodology
We will design a survey listing 6 sentences and invite 50 people to complete the
questionnaire.
Participants
We plan to ask 25 native speakers and 25 students who have acquired TOEIC
score 800(or above), or GEPT high-intermediate level to complete the questionnaire.
The source of survey sentences is from COCA.
Materials
The sentences we choose from COCA are based on the grammatical rules;
namely, the form “be liking.” Among the entries of present progressive singular form,
we rule out sentences containing the phrase “to someone’s liking,” which means if
something is to someone’s liking; they like it or approve of it (McMillan Dictionary,
n.d.). In addition, we include present singular, present plural, past singular, and past
plural forms of “be liking” in order to verify whether “be liking” can be applied to
each circumstance. We choose the latest entries of different forms because this implies
that the usage is still in use. In addition, we design the age checkboxes in our
questionnaire in order to examine whether “be liking” is used either by younger
generation, elder generation, or both generations. We do not include gender
checkboxes in the questionnaire, for discussing gender variables may switch our
research focus from whether “be liking” is usable to gender differences. The material
is listed at appendix.
Procedure
Our group is divided into two teams. One is responsible for finding subjects from
non-native speakers, and the other is responsible for native speakers. The
questionnaires are mainly distributed via e-mail or by passing out hard copies for
examinees. Each subject is given 10 minutes or so to complete the questionnaire. It
takes about one month to collect all the data.
Analyses
When the data are collected, the first thing to do is to calculate how many
subjects choose proper and how many of them select awkward. Figures are dealt with
by our group members manually. After the amount is counted, the following step is to
work on the percentage of these two items, proper and awkward. The instrument
being used is not software, such as Excel, but calculator. As for the age issue, nearly
all participants, no matter native or non-native speakers, are around 20 to 30 years old.
Since the division is not in great contrast, we will not put emphasis on this part. Those
reasons that are collected from our subjects are dealt with in discussion section.
Results
Originally, the questionnaires of native speakers retrieved are expected to reach
25 pieces, but it turns out that the questionnaires being retrieved and calculated are 16.
As a result, Table 1.2 is estimated with the data retrieved from 16 native speakers.
Although the amount of data is not equal between native and non-native speakers, the
analysis would still conduct on the basis of it.
In Table 1.1, it shows non-native subjects have a higher tendency to regard the
form “be liking” in sentence 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 as wrong usage. In majority, subjects
respond that the sentences have grammatical errors; namely, the verb “like” should
not be used in progressive aspect but utilized in simple aspect. The outcome infers
that most of our subjects are influenced by the grammatical rules that they have been
learning for several years. Grammar books will have highly inclination to claim that
verb “like,” as a verb of involuntary, is not acceptable to be used in progressive
aspect(林春山,陳永祝, 2003). Another assumption is that our questionnaires were
sent out as a word file, and the software may detect “be liking” as grammatical error.
Therefore, non-native subjects might be influenced by the green wave lines under “be
liking” when they filled out the questionnaires. As a result, the questionnaires
retrieved from non-native speakers point out that the form “be liking” is inappropriate.
Furthermore, some of the subjects view those sentences awkward because they have a
problem understanding the meaning of the sentences. The assumption for this
circumstance is that those sentences may contain cultural differences between
non-native and native speaker which has a great possibility to interfere subjects’
comprehension of the sentences.
However, for sentence 2, the percentage regarding proper usage hit 56percent.
Half of the subjects claim that using verb “like” in progressive aspect is acceptable
within an informal situation. The other half proposes that the verb “like” used in this
sentence has a meaning of current status. As for the 44percent subjects who consider
using “be liking,” they suggest using simple aspect will be more appropriate in the
sentence.
In Table 1.2, the average statistics indicate that native speakers have a tendency
to accept the verb “like” used in progressive aspect, especially in verbal
communication. As to the proper aspect for the usage, higher percentage represents in
sentence 1, 5 and 6, reaching 93.75percent. Native speakers consider utilizing the
form “be liking” in sentences appropriate when they want to emphasize on the
dynamic nature of passion, show the subject is enjoying, or put it in a parallel
structure. However, some people think of it as improper and awkward to make use of
the form “be liking” in formal writing, such as correspondence and paper writing. On
condition of that, the form will be viewed as grammatical mistake. As for sentence 2,
3 and 4, the percentage surpasses 50percent in proper usage, but the reasons being
collected are less than sentence 1, 5 and 6. In majority, the reasons provided by native
speakers suggest that some sentences sound weird and inappropriate. The meaning
might make sense, but the form “be liking” is not frequently applied. Moreover, the
result pinpoints that the verb “like” has a tendency to be used more in present
progressive form, showing the present continuous. When “be liking” appears in past
tense context (sentence 2 and 3), native speakers consider it awkward and improper
and would like to apply past simple form rather than past progressive form even
though the meaning is conveyed successfully.
Statistics from both native and non-native speakers indicate that applying the
form “be liking” in sentence 2 is acceptable because the meaning makes sense. On the
contrary, the greatest contrast between the data from native and non-native speakers
lies in the first sentence. The rate of proper is reported 93.75percent in native speakers,
while it only gains 20percent in non-native speakers. The phenomenon may derive
from the different education background between native and non-native speakers. In
Taiwan’s educational system, students learn through practicing grammatical rules but
are provided less expose to real English context. Therefore, non-native speakers
would have larger possibility to view the form “be liking” as grammatical mistakes or
errors.
Table1.1 Non-native Speaker(25 people)
Sentences
Proper
Awkward
1
20%
80%
2
56%
44%
3
8%
92%
4
24%
76%
5
40%
60%
6
36%
64%
Table1.2 Native Speakers(16 people)
Sentences
Proper
Awkward
1
93.75%
6.25%
2
56.25%
43.75%
3
56.25%
43.75%
4
68.75%
31.25%
5
93.75%
6.25%
6
93.75%
6.25%
Conclusion
From Table 1.1 and 1.2 as well as the analysis of the questionnaire, the principle
for using the form “be liking” is revealed. It can be applied to informal situation no
matter in written form or verbal communication since utilizing the form will not
interfere the understanding process of the message receivers. But the most important
question that needed to be focused on is the differentiation of acceptance between
native and non-native speakers. Using the form “be liking” is fairly acceptable for
native speakers but merely unacceptable for non-native speakers. This may result
from that English is a second language for non-native speakers and that non-native
speakers tend to acquire second language through grammar studying and vocabulary
memorizing; these factors underscores the problem of Taiwan’s English education;
that is, emphasizing too much on grammatical rules and neglecting the practicality of
a language. How to maximize the practicality of English or even second language
education and how to minimize the conceptual gap between native speakers and
non-native speakers are the very issues that needed to be resolved.
References
Quirk R., Greenbaum S., Leech G., and Svartvik J. A Comprehensive Grammar of the
English Language. New York: Longman, 1985
To someone’s liking. (n.d.). In McMillan Dictionary. Retrieved from
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/liking#to-someone-s-liking
林春山, 陳永祝. 新標準英文法. Tainan: Nan I, 2003
Appendix A
Questionnaire: Verb Usage
We are students from the Department of Foreign Languages and Applied
linguistics in National Taipei University. We are doing research on the usage of “like.”
Following is our questionnaire. There is a list including six sentences. Please follow
the steps below and complete the questionnaire:
1. Please check the “Age” box.
2. Read the sentences and consider if those statements make sense or not.
3. Check off the items with “Proper” or “Awkward.”
4. Explain your reason briefly.
Thank you for your patience!
Age：□20↓□20-30 □30-50 □50↑
No. Sentences
Source
1
WashPost
Rocco Landesman is hitting the art scene hard in this modest city on the
Illinois River, and he’s liking it. Well, no, that’s not quite correct: He’s
loving it!
□Proper, why__________________________________________________
□Awkward, why________________________________________________
2
“I’m not really sure what we all have in common. I know we all play
Atlanta
music,” Garza says. “I’m sure we’re all pretty good people. I don’t know
Journal
everybody, but Los Lonely Boys, we’re pretty good people. Uh, let’s see. I
Constitution
don’t know, man. Just maybe what the kids are liking these days, man.”
“Yes, that’s part of it. What the kids are liking. What’s hot. What’s, you
know, popular.”
□Proper, why__________________________________________________
□Awkward, why________________________________________________
3
My father had come over to watch the game with me. He was never a big
BK: Open
football fan, and my fanaticism about the Giants was clearly learned
and shut
elsewhere. But he had been joining me to watch the games with increasing
regularity since my mother died a year before. I don’t think it’s that
he was liking football any more; I just think he was liking loneliness even
less.
□Proper, why__________________________________________________
□Awkward, why________________________________________________
4
The final theme that came from pre-service teachers interviews was making
Physical
the physical education experience enjoyable. Previous studies have shown
Educator
that when pre-service teachers participate in practicum experiences they
determine their lessons to be successful by how much enjoyment students
were having, and if students were liking the physical education class, there
would be a greater degree of student achievement.
□Proper, why__________________________________________________
□Awkward, why________________________________________________
5
TV movies are the prime-time, upscale equivalent of the Ricki-Montel-
Atlanta
Geraldo daytime talk shows that have drawn heavy criticism lately. Like the
Journal
yak shows, they often divide the world into predators (usually male) and
Constitution
prey (usually female). “They’re both exposing the dysfunctionality of
everything,” says Meredith Michaels, a Hampshire College philosophy
professor researching a book about media images of motherhood. “(The
message is that) lying underneath this American home exterior there is
ugliness, and we seem to be liking that a lot.”
□Proper, why__________________________________________________
□Awkward, why________________________________________________
6
Democratic leaders in California don’t expect to see much of either Obama
San
or Joe Biden between now and election day, unless it’s to pick up money.
Francisco
“Once again, we are going to be the ATM in the race,” said state party
Chronicle
Chairman Art Torres. The Republicans, on the other hand, are liking what
they hear - especially the reaction to Sarah Palin.
□Proper, why__________________________________________________
□Awkward, why________________________________________________
Appendix B
Raw Data
Non-native Speakers(25 people)
Sentences
Proper
Awkward
1
6
19
2
14
11
3
2
23
4
6
19
5
10
15
6
9
16
Native Speakers(16 People)
Sentences
Proper
Awkward
1
15
1
2
9
7
3
9
7
4
11
5
5
15
1
6
15
1