Tracy:  Hello, I’m Tracy and you’re listening to Question and Answer of the Week from BBC

A very special Australian

Learning English. Joining me today is Yang Li.  
 
Li:  大家好。今天 Tracy 和我一起来回答同学们提出的英语学习中出现的问题。 
 
Tracy:  Yes we are here to answer your questions. 
 
Li:    So who is this week’s question from?
 
Tracy:  This week’s question is from Zhu Jun Jun who is not in China at the moment because he is living in Australia. 
 
Li:  很有意思朱军军目前在澳大利亚。 
 
Tracy:  Let’s hear the question then.
 
Insert
 
Hi, can you tell me how to use the verb+ing?
 
Li:  Oh wow, 动词+ing 的用法可是多种多样的。
 
Tracy:  You’re right Li, so we will focus on one of the most important ways of using verb+ing. 
 
Li:  What way is that Tracy?
 
Tracy:  We are going to look at how the verb+ing or the present participle is used in the continuous tense.
 
Li:  动词+ing 或现在分词 present participle 在进行时中的用法。进行时  continuous tense. 
 
Tracy:  Well before I answer that, let’s remind everyone of what we mean by present participle.
 
Li:  The present participle 现在分词是动词的一种形式。  It’s a form of a verb, right Tracy?  
Tracy:  Right. The present participle is one of the many forms of a verb.
 
 
Li:  好今天我们要讲解的是动词的现在分词 present participle. 
 
Tracy:    Yes, we are going to talk about using the verb+ing.   
 
Li:  An example sentence could be: Zhu Jun Jun is living in Australia.
 
Tracy:  That’s a good example sentence Li. The subject in that sentence is Zhu Jun Jun and the verb… 
 
Li:  the verb is living. 
 
  可是怎样判断如何使用现在分词？如果我说: Zhu Jun Jun is live in Australia. 那肯定是不对的，是吧? 
 
Tracy:  Yes that would have been wrong. We use the verb+ing in sentences which are in the continuous tense. 
 
Li:  Continuous tense 进行时，其中包括 Past Continuous Tense 过去进行时, Present Continuous Tense 现在进行时 and Future Continuous Tense 将来进行时。 
 
Tracy:  Listen to the sentence again. Zhu Jun Jun is living in Australia. Now, what tense is it?
 
Li:  现在进行时? Is it in the present continuous tense?
 
Tracy:  It is, so you say ‘Zhu Jun Jun is’ and the verb+ing ‘living’. 
 
Li:  I see, can you give me some more examples?
 
Tracy:  Sure and in honour of Zhu Jun Jun, we’re going to listen to an interview with a very special Australian. His name is Joey and he is a kangaroo. 
 
Li:  A kangaroo, 袋鼠? We’re going to hear an interview with a kangaroo?
 
Tracy:  We sure are. Let’s listen to Joey talking about his life. By the way, he loves hopping and boxing. 
 
Li:  这只袋鼠喜欢跳跃和拳击，这听起来很有意思，不过请大家特别注意动词+ing 的形式还有  continuous tenses.
 
Insert
 
Growing up, I dreamed of being the most famous kangaroo in Australia. I wanted to hop higher and faster than all the other kangaroos. 
 
These days, I am trying to become a champion hopper. I hop all day long. I think I’m quite good at it. I can hop up to 25 miles an hour you know. 
 
In a few years time, I’ll be learning boxing. I think I’ll be pretty good at that too. I’m sure that that I’ll be a champion kangaroo in one way or another. 
 
Li:   听上去, Joey 可使之活波袋鼠。 
 
Tracy:  He sure is. Now did you hear him hear him say any verb+ing phrases?  
 
 
Li:  Let’s listen again and check to see if we can correctly identify the verb+ing and the tense. 
 
Insert
 
When I was growing up, I dreamed of being the most famous kangaroo in Australia. I wanted to hop higher and faster than all the other kangaroos. 
 
Tracy:  OK, so the verb+ing is…
 
Li:  growing up?
 
Tracy:  Yes, Joey said “when I was growing up”.
 
Li:  He used the phrase “I was” and the verb+ing “growing up”. 所以这个句子是过去进行时。 
 
Tracy:  It is indeed in the past continuous tense. Why don’t you explain a little more about this tense Li?
 
Li:  OK Tracy. I was doing something 是动词的过去分词  verb+ing。用在过去某一个时段内持续进行的动作。现在这个动作已经结束了。
 
Tracy:   Are you ready for the next bit of Joey’s interview?
 
Insert
 
These days, I am trying to become a champion hopper. I hop all day long. I think I’m quite good at it. I can hop up to 25 miles an hour you know. 
 
Tracy:    OK, so the verb+ing is…
 
Li:    trying?
 
Tracy:  Yes. Joey said “I am trying to become a champion hopper”.
 
Li:  In this example he said “I am” and verb+ing “trying”. 这就是为什么在这里就使用了现在进行时的缘故。
 
Tracy:  Wow Li, you are good at this. 
 
Li:    Thanks Tracy. 在表示现在持续进行的动作或行动时，你就因该使用  I am 和 verb+ing ，虽然你并不知道这个行动时从什么时候开始的，但是你很清楚的是这个动作到现在还没有完成。
 
Tracy:  OK, now let’s hear the final part of Joey’s interview.  
 
Insert
 
In a few years time, I’ll be learning boxing. I think I’ll be pretty good at that too. I’m sure that that I’ll be a champion kangaroo in one way or another. 
 
Tracy:    Ok so the verb+ing is…
 
 
Li:    learning.
 
Tracy:  It sure is. Joey said “I’ll be learning boxing”.  
 
Li:  所以这里的动词使用了将来进行时。 He said “I’ll be” and the verb+ing “boxing”.
 
Tracy:  You are once again 100% correct. 
 
Li:   好我来归纳一下。如果表达将来某一段时间，某人将持续做某件事这样的概念时就应该使用将来进行时  I’ll be 或  I will be doing something. 
 
Tracy:  So what do you think Li? Will Joey become a champion hopper and will he be any good at boxing? 
 
Li:  依我看它还是充满自信的。  I believe he will achieve his dreams. 
 
Tracy:  Well let’s wish him luck. So we’ve listened to three examples of how the verb+ing or the present participle can be used in the continuous tense. 
 
Li:  Yes, but there are many other ways that the verb+ing can be used too, aren’t there?
 
Tracy:  Yes Li, there are lots of other ways that you might see the verb+ing used. We’ll try to talk about these in future programmes. 
 
Li:  So stay tuned to Question and Answer of the Week for more English language advice. 如果你在学习中遇到问题请随时给我们发邮件我们的邮箱是 questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk.
.
Tracy:  And don’t forget to visit our website www.bbcchina.com.cn where you can listen to other Question and Answer of the Week programmes. Until next time, bye.
Li:  Bye!  
 

This week’s question is from Zhu Jun Jun who wants to know how to use verbs with ing.

There are many ways to use the verb+ing but in this week’s programme we focus on how to use verb+ing in the continuous tense.

The present participle

Verbs can take many forms, for example:

Infinitive
live

Present participle
living

Past participle
lived

The verb+ing is also known as the present participle and that is what today’s programme focuses on.

The continuous tense

You often use the verb+ing when you are making sentences in the continuous tense. For example:

Past continuous
I was living in Australia.

Present continuous
I am living in Australia.

Future continuous
I will be living in Australia.

In the above examples, you will notice that there is another verb before the verb+ing. This helping verb is very important as it tells you about the time period in the sentence.

This information in the table above explains which helping verbs you should use before the verb+ing.

Listen to this week’s audio programme for more example sentences.

You will also hear an interview with a very special Australian.

We hope this goes a little way to answering your question Zhu Jun Jun.

We look forward to hearing any other questions you might have about the English language.

Everyone is welcome to email their questions to questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk.

Glossary 词汇

continuous tense 进行时

forms 形式

infinitive 动词不定式

present participle 现在分词

past participle 过去分词

past continuous 过去进行时

present continuous 现在进行时

future continuous 将来进行时

time period 时间阶段