about the verb forget

[salamis]

Hi,

I'd like to know if we can use the verb forget in the present continuous.

The Cambridge grammar book says that; we do not use these verbs ( like, love, want, understand, remember, depend, prefer, hate, need, mean, believe, forget ) in the present continuous.

But in the Longman grammar book there's a sentence like this:

I'm always forgetting people's birthdays. It's so annoying.

So which one is true?

[2006]

Originally Posted by salamis

Hi,

I'd like to know if we can use the verb forget in the present continuous. Yes, we can. My grandmother is forgetting more every month.

The Cambridge grammar book says that; we do not use these verbs ( like, love, want, understand, remember, depend, prefer, hate, need, mean, believe, forget ) in the present continuous. not true

But in the Longman grammar book there's a sentence like this:

I'm always forgetting people's birthdays. It's so annoying.

So which one is true?

2006

[xpert]

Both are correct but:

Let me shed some light on the sentence

I'm always forgetting people's birthdays. It's so annoying.

This sentence - I understand it - expresses that he's used to forgetting pleople's birthday - one of his habits. Of course, he doesn't means at moment I'm forgetting ...

Such verbs are called stative verbs which don't express progressive tenses. Thus, we cannot say "*That's sounding good" but we say "That sounds good"

I hope I answered your question

[salamis]

Thank you 2006 and xpert.

I think I have to look up for stative verbs and how they used in English.