Stop, stopping, stopped

[jiaruchan]

I read a news report online and got this sentence:

She was stopped at a red light when a black guy suddenly appeared from nowhere and started to clean her windshield.


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My question is:why 'be stopped' is used? Can we use 'She was stopping at a red light when ................'?

[ptetpe]

Hope this explanation is relevant

[b] A similar pseudo-passive is used with verbs of posture:
Grandfather was sat in the rocking chair.
I've been stood here for about ten minutes.

In this case,the construction is largely synonymous with,though less common than,the progressive construction: was sitting, have been standing, etc.

Source: A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language by Quirk et al. P.170

[bhaisahab]

I read a news report online and got this sentence:

She was stopped at a red light when a black guy suddenly appeared from nowhere and started to clean her windshield.


-----------------

My question is:why 'be stopped' is used? Can we use 'She was stopping at a red light when ................'?

'She was stopping.....' means that she was in the process of stopping, she hadn't stopped yet.
'She was stopped....' should be 'she had stopped'.

[jiaruchan]

Thanks for the above two replies.

Can I say like this:

My car was standing at a red light when a black guy came from nowhere and started to clean the windshield.

I remember seeing street signs in America like NO STOPPING/STANDING/PARKING. I know what parking means, but I don't know the difference between STOPPING and STANDING.

[bhaisahab]

Thanks for the above two replies.

Can I say like this:

My car was standing at a red light when a black guy came from nowhere and started to clean the windshield.

I remember seeing street signs in America like NO STOPPING/STANDING/PARKING. I know what parking means, but I don't know the difference between STOPPING and STANDING.

Yes, you can say 'My car was standing/stationary at a red light.....'