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Message from hime posted on 21-07-2009 at 07:09:52 (D | E | F)
I have a question.
Please see the two sentences as below:
I am being a good sport.
No, you are being jealous.
In my opinion, it's ok to say 'I am a good sport.'and 'you are jealous.'
Why here put the 'being' behind the 'am' and 'are'.
Thanks!
Hime
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Edited by bridg on 21-07-2009 07:23
Message from hime posted on 21-07-2009 at 07:09:52 (D | E | F)
I have a question.
Please see the two sentences as below:
I am being a good sport.
No, you are being jealous.
In my opinion, it's ok to say 'I am a good sport.'and 'you are jealous.'
Why here put the 'being' behind the 'am' and 'are'.
Thanks!
Hime
-------------------
Edited by bridg on 21-07-2009 07:23
Re: Being from seb06000, posted on 21-07-2009 at 07:40:10 (D | E)
Hi!
If you just say ' you are jealous', it is just a statement. The speaker remains neutral. If he says 'you are being jealous', it means that he interferes in the sentence by two ways:
- the fact that this action is unusual: normally the person is not jealous but this time, quite surprisingly, he's jealous => clash with his habits
-his own judgement: if he says: " you are being jealous', the speaker wants to show his disapproval about the situation, he doesn't agree with that situation. He denounces it==> no more a neutral statement.
It's just the same difference than between ' He always smokes' (neutral) and 'he is always smoking' ( the speaker denounces it, outlines the fact that it is unhealthy)
In fact, to know whether you say ' are being' or 'are' depends on the context of the sentence. You need to know the situation around to choose which form to use!
Feel free to ask any question!
Thanks
sébastien
Re: Being from hime, posted on 21-07-2009 at 09:43:08 (D | E)
Hi sébastien,
Thank you for explaining that to me.
I think that I get it.
'am' is used to discribe a normal action.
'am being' is for a particular situation.
for example:
She is beautiful. ----means she is always beautiful.
She is being beautiful.----means she is beautiful now, but probably, she is very plain normally.
is it right?
Thanks
Hime
Re: Being from seb06000, posted on 21-07-2009 at 09:49:08 (D | E)
This is it!
Once again, if you have any question just ask
sebastien
Re: Being from alili, posted on 21-07-2009 at 10:23:09 (D | E)
Sorry if this is irrelevant to the question asked, but I just wanted to add something here regarding Bridg's correction:
There's huge a difference between "I am being a good sport" and "I am good at sport"!
"To be a good sport" means someone is not a "sore loser".
"To be good at sport" means someone is good at tennis/football/etc.
Definitely not the same thing...
Therefore the original sentence posted (i.e. "a good sport") was correct, here.-------------------
Edited by bridg on 21-07-2009 11:34
Thanx
Re: Being from seb06000, posted on 21-07-2009 at 11:42:30 (D | E)
Hi Alili,
Indeed you're right, your definition is correct. Yet, it's the first time I've seen that expression, though I am a teacher and have been an English learner for 20 years, it is oral language so quite rare.
In here, I just would like to defend Bridg: considering that there was no context at all, both meanings were valuable... So Bridg corrected with all her good faith
Please don't blame her
Sébastien
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Edited by seb06000 on 21-07-2009 12:33
How can you answer any serious question when you are trying to make a shortbread at once?
Re: Being from alili, posted on 21-07-2009 at 13:40:38 (D | E)
Hi there,
I wasn't blaming anybody, just pointing out that given the second sentence indicated by Hime ("No, you are being jealous."), the first one was probably correct in its original form... That was my "context"!
I don't think "being a (good) sport" is a particularly rare or oral expression; not more than its French equivalent "être beau joueur", I believe. I've come across it quite often in books and articles. I admit however that it's a tiny old-fashioned one! Anyway, no-one is supposed to know everything about English here, thanks God. Being a translator, I come across "new" expressions all the time... that are "new" only to me.
Have a good time baking shortbreads (and save some for us)!
Re: Being from jonquille, posted on 21-07-2009 at 18:48:47 (D | E)
Hello! In fact, the expression "to be a good sport" is a very common one! Often before a game (of whatever type), children are encouraged "to be good sports and to not be sore losers." Not everyone can win at a game, so we congratulate those who do win (be a good sport), and learn from our mistakes without getting overly upset ("sore loser").
On a side note...there is also the expression...to be a spoilsport!
Re: Being from mostafa, posted on 21-07-2009 at 22:09:51 (D | E)
Hi,
I just want to give another example from the book which it is my source for my grammar problem.
GRAMMAR IN USE:INTERMEDIATE BY RAYMOND MURPHY
UNIT 4 PART C: he is being selfish = HE IS BEHAVING/HE IS ACTING selfish.
he is selfish = he is selfish generally,not at the moment.
we use AM/IS/ARE+BEING to say how somebody is behaving.
i wish this one help you.
Re: Being from TravisKidd, posted on 22-07-2009 at 06:09:16 (D | E)
Sorry but you can't say "She is being beautiful."
"Is being" is used for how one is behaving or acting. It doesn't make much sense to say that someone is behaving like she is beautiful.
Remember that "be" is not generally compatible with the continuous aspect (except in the passive voice of course). "Is being" carries the specific connotation of behavior in the moment.
You would say "She is beautiful" whether it is a general description or a current observation. (Thus, if I may use Spanish for comparison, "be" corresponds to both the verbs "ser" and "estar".)
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Edited by lucile83 on 22-07-2009 07:40
I quite agree with you !
Re: Being from hime, posted on 23-07-2009 at 03:02:13 (D | E)
Thank you all for replying my question!
I think I understand it now.
The word "beautiful" is not used to describe the behaving or action.
If I changed the sentence into "She is being angry." , it might be ok, as the word 'angry'is used to describe the behaving or action.
Is it right?
Thanks a lot!
Hime
Re: Being from TravisKidd, posted on 23-07-2009 at 03:55:38 (D | E)
Well, I personally would not say "is being angry", but I think I could sooner accept it than "is being beautiful".
Generally speaking, if an adjective refers to a state ("full"), a perception ("beautiful"), or an emotion/feeling ("angry"), you must use "is" and not "is being", even if it is only temporary.
"Is being" refers to purposeful behavior that one could (theoretically) stop if one wanted to.
Look, Mommy, I'm doing what you told me to do. I'm being good, aren't I?
Mommy, Billy won't share his toys with me! He's being selfish!
The soldier is not following the orders he has been given. He is being insubordinate.
-It's time to go the doctor's.
-No! I hate the doctor's! I won't go! I won't, I won't, I won't!
-Come on now; you're just being stubborn! You'll see when we get there, he's very nice.
Re: Being from hime, posted on 23-07-2009 at 04:42:10 (D | E)
thanks for your examples. Now, It feels not such complicated.
Thanks
Hime
