Do you agree the Past Continuous (Past Progressive) tense shouldn't be used in narration?

[JohnSm123]

I don't understand why everybody advises against using it.

 

[Gamblnluck]

Got me... I think "They were standing at the bus stop when the accident happened" is perfectly okay. That was an example I found online of past progressive.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

There is a certain type of verb that cannot be used in any continuous tense, including the past continuous tense. These are called stative verbs, also known as state-of-being verbs or, fittingly, non-continuous verbs.

Stative verbs are less like actions and more like states or feelings. They describe continual states of mind, such as opinions, needs, or awareness. Some of the most common examples of stative verbs include:

believe
dislike
hate
involve
know
like
love
need
prefer
realize
seem
understand
want

Because stative verbs are inherently continuous, it sounds odd to put them in a continuous tense. Avoid using the above words in the past continuous—you can use them in the simple past instead.

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't think there's a rule against it. Gamblnluck's example is a good example of when it's appropriate. But if simple past will do just as well, use simple past instead. It's more direct and more immediate.

 

[samhasstories]

I think like all rules and guidelines, it should be learned and practiced, and when you're working on developing your voice and your style you should err on the side of adhering to it. But like all rules and guidelines, once you're comfortable with it you should feel free to gleefully break it if you feel you can enhance your writing in the process.

 

[SimonDoom]

There is a certain type of verb that cannot be used in any continuous tense, including the past continuous tense. These are called stative verbs, also known as state-of-being verbs or, fittingly, non-continuous verbs.

Stative verbs are less like actions and more like states or feelings. They describe continual states of mind, such as opinions, needs, or awareness. Some of the most common examples of stative verbs include:

believe
dislike
hate
involve
know
like
love
need
prefer
realize
seem
understand
want

Because stative verbs are inherently continuous, it sounds odd to put them in a continuous tense. Avoid using the above words in the past continuous—you can use them in the simple past instead.

I had never thought of this or heard of this list, but I started imagining uses of these verbs in continuous, and you're right; they sound ridiculous.

E.g.,

"I was disliking him intensely when I decided to punch his face."

"I was realizing that the sun had gone down when the vampires came out."

 

[33RPMVinylPants]

Got me... I think "They were standing at the bus stop when the accident happened" is perfectly okay. That was an example I found online of past progressive.

It sounds very distant. The reader is very removed from the action.

This can be fine if that's what you're going for.

It works for comedic effect, describing something very intense in a dissociated way can be funny: "It was the day my grandmother exploded." is one of the best opening lines ever.

Or it works an an introduction to a work, before you've really entered a POV, as a way to ease you into it.

But a whole story written that way? It would be like reading a police report of an event instead of experiencing the emotions of the characters involved.

I especially can't see it working very well for erotica.

 

[Zootonius]

Questions like this make me feel inadequate as a writer. I just write what sounds natural. I guess from plenty of reading over my life. That's one thing I don't think my editor corrected. (Lay, laid, lays, lie, on the other hand...)

 

[33RPMVinylPants]

"I was realizing that the sun had gone down when the vampires came out."

"I was beginning to realize..." sounds natural, but I think it's because I added another verb into the mix

 

[SimonDoom]

It sounds very distant. The reader is very removed from the action.

This can be fine if that's what you're going for.

It works for comedic effect, describing something very intense in a dissociated way can be funny: "It was the day my grandmother exploded." is one of the best opening lines ever.

Or it works an an introduction to a work, before you've really entered a POV, as a way to ease you into it.

But a whole story written that way? It would be like reading a police report of an event instead of experiencing the emotions of the characters involved.

I especially can't see it working very well for erotica.

These are all very good points. The continuous/progressive makes sense if you want to emphasize that they were standing, but it doesn't make sense if you want to emphasize the accident. If the latter is what you want, then break it into two sentences, or start with the accident part:

"The accident happened while they stood at the bus stop."

 

[33RPMVinylPants]

Should have added that it can be a good way to get in the headspace of a character experiencing a traumatic event.

A POV that had been describing everything in the present tense switching to this more distant, impassive tense while experiencing or observing something very traumatic could be a very effective way to get the reader to feel the same dissociation as the character.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I don't understand why everybody advises against using it.

Writing is full of rules....
You can't do this, or that. You must do this....
Old saying, but it holds true for writing.
"Rules are made to b broken."
When I consider my favourite written pieces. It proves the point....
Rules are for the faint hearted.
If it works for the greats. It can certainly work for amateurs as well...
I say... "Fuck the rules, go mad, have fun." At the end of the day we do this for fun, so who cares?

Cagivagurl

 

[Gamblnluck]

Questions like this make me feel inadequate as a writer. I just write what sounds natural. I guess from plenty of reading over my life. That's one thing I don't think my editor corrected. (Lay, laid, lays, lie, on the other hand...)

There ya go. I once advised a new author to pretend he was sitting in a bar telling the story over a beer. Tell the story naturally.

 

[Gamblnluck]

These are all very good points. The continuous/progressive makes sense if you want to emphasize that they were standing, but it doesn't make sense if you want to emphasize the accident. If the latter is what you want, then break it into two sentences, or start with the accident part:

"The accident happened while they stood at the bus stop."

Yeah and of course that depends on if you are concentrating on the accident or their actions/ reactions to it.

 

[lovecraft68]

I wouldn't be able to tell you what that tense is. I can tell you that I don't care if I use it, and I don't care if anyone else uses it.
I know there are some grammar Nazi types among readers, but if someone is going to shake their fist in outrage because someone used this tense, or any other style well.....then you should stick to reading the category most fitting you...anal.

 

[Britva415]

There is a certain type of verb that cannot be used in any continuous tense, including the past continuous tense. These are called stative verbs, also known as state-of-being verbs or, fittingly, non-continuous verbs.

Stative verbs are less like actions and more like states or feelings. They describe continual states of mind, such as opinions, needs, or awareness. Some of the most common examples of stative verbs include:

believe
dislike
hate
involve
know
like
love
need
prefer
realize
seem
understand
want

Because stative verbs are inherently continuous, it sounds odd to put them in a continuous tense. Avoid using the above words in the past continuous—you can use them in the simple past instead.

Don't Stop Believing

 

[Bramblethorn]

These are all very good points. The continuous/progressive makes sense if you want to emphasize that they were standing, but it doesn't make sense if you want to emphasize the accident. If the latter is what you want, then break it into two sentences, or start with the accident part:

"The accident happened while they stood at the bus stop."

"The accident happened while they were standing at the bus stop" feels more natural to me, though I can't immediately articulate why.

 

[SimonDoom]

"The accident happened while they were standing at the bus stop" feels more natural to me, though I can't immediately articulate why.

I think I know why and now that I think about it I think you are right. "While" connotes some period of duration, and the continuous tense fits with that.

As opposed to:

The accident happened when they reached the bus stop.

 

[ronde]

I wouldn't be able to tell you what that tense is. I can tell you that I don't care if I use it, and I don't care if anyone else uses it.
I know there are some grammar Nazi types among readers, but if someone is going to shake their fist in outrage because someone used this tense, or any other style well.....then you should stick to reading the category most fitting you...anal.

I agree. What I think is any reader who hasn't taken a formal class in writing probably doesn't care as long as the writing makes sense. I write the way I "hear" my characters talking, and since none of my characters have ever taken said formal writing class, they don't care much about the technical aspects of writing either. They just say what they're thinking at the moment.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Sometimes there's no difference in meaning and it's just more wordy for the same amount of info. For some reason my drafts are very verbose with lots of 'was ...ing' rather than 'ed' and a pile of passive voice. Some is fine but generally most gets ripped out to kick the pace along better.

If it's a character talking round here, they're likely to say "I was stood at the bus stop, right, and..."

 

[JohnSm123]

There ya go. I once advised a new author to pretend he was sitting in a bar telling the story over a beer. Tell the story naturally.

I wish I'd been given that advice before I gave up writing. But now it's too late.

 

[JohnSm123]

I agree. What I think is any reader who hasn't taken a formal class in writing probably doesn't care as long as the writing makes sense. I write the way I "hear" my characters talking, and since none of my characters have ever taken said formal writing class, they don't care much about the technical aspects of writing either. They just say what they're thinking at the moment.

But most people on other forums told me, when I showed them passages of my work, that the continuous tense puts them off and makes them put a book down for good.

 

[StillStunned]

I wish I'd been given that advice before I gave up writing. But now it's too late.

If you've given up writing, what are you doing here in the Authors' Hangout? Besides annoying everyone, that is.

Mods, can we please have a Trolls' Den forum where people like this can fester away with others of their kind?

 

[joy_of_cooking]

There is a certain type of verb that cannot be used in any continuous tense, including the past continuous tense. These are called stative verbs, also known as state-of-being verbs or, fittingly, non-continuous verbs.

Stative verbs are less like actions and more like states or feelings. They describe continual states of mind, such as opinions, needs, or awareness. Some of the most common examples of stative verbs include:

believe
dislike
hate
involve
know
like
love
need
prefer
realize
seem
understand
want

Because stative verbs are inherently continuous, it sounds odd to put them in a continuous tense. Avoid using the above words in the past continuous—you can use them in the simple past instead.

I was believing this crazy story more and more with every passing minute.

No, this was no half-hearted hatred. Now I was hating them with all my heart, with every fiber of my being, with every inch of wiring and every square millimeter of circuit board in my cavernous body!

You're involving me again, buddy. I told you to keep me out of this.

He stood there, smiling quietly, knowing exactly what was going on but not saying a word to help the rest of us.

I'm not just liking this, I'm lovin' it!

I gotta cut back. I'm waking up every morning needing more and more. I can't afford this shit.

Okay, I really can't think of a way to use "was preferring" but the others don't sound that bad, do they?

 

[joy_of_cooking]

Hmm.

They weren't preferring shit. You think withdrawal is like you're sitting there thinking, oh, I could quit but I think I prefer not to?