I want him to drive his new car today.
I want him to be driving his new car today.
It's ridiculous for her to drive in the center of Rome at her age!
It's ridiculous for her to be driving in the center of Rome at her age!
DO THEY MEAN THE SAME THING? ARE THE TWO FORMS POSSIBLE IN BOTH CONTEXTS?
***** A NON-TEACHER's COMMENT *****
(1) I have found some information that you may wish to study. Then
you can make up your own mind.
(a) Mr. Michael Swan in his well-known
Practical English Usage says that
the progressive infinitive (to be + ing) is used
to suggest that actions are/were/will be continuing around the time
we are talking about.
(i) His examples:
It is nice
to be sitting here with you [now]. [My note. Not: It is nice to sit here with you.]
I noticed [yesterday] that he seemed
to be smoking a lot. [My note. Not: I noticed he seemed to smoke a lot.]
This time
tomorrow I'll
be lying on the beach. [My note. Not: This time tomorrow, I am going to lie on the beach.]
I believe that the key to understanding this difference is the word
"continuing."
(b) Professor Sidney Greenbaum in
The Oxford English Grammar
gives two examples that I found most helpful:
(i) It would healthier for me
to be doing something. The scholar
explains that this shows "duration," which I think is just another
way to say "continuing action." For example, that sentence means
that I should be doing something on a regular basis, such as getting
a job that I go to every day.
(ii) It would be healthier for me
to do something. The scholar did not
explain the difference between (i) and (ii), so here is my guess: (ii)
does NOT refer to "duration." That is, it could refer to a one-time
event. For example: This neighborhood is becoming too dangerous.
It might be a good idea to do something, such as to move to another
place. This is a one-time action, not one of "duration."
(c) Finally, Professor L.G. Alexander in
Longman English Grammar
gives this example:
"I would like to be flying over the Alps and to be looking down at the mountains."
Sadly, the scholar does not explain further. Based on what we have
learned from Messrs. Swan and Greenbaum, I guess that his
sentence is referring to "now." I would like to be flying over the Alps
now; NOT: I would like to fly over the Alps (maybe some day in the
future).
*****
The telephone rings and you pick it up:
Your sister: I just got a telephone call from Grandmother.
You: How is Grandmother? Is she relaxing at home?
Your sister: No, she isn't. She called me on her cellphone to
tell me that she
is driving around downtown right now.
You: OMG!!! It's crazy for a woman her age
to be driving around
in such dangerous traffic. Call her back this minute and tell Granny
to come home right now!!!
Respectfully yours,
James
so you meant that we can use the be + ing if we want to underline that a particular action is continuing and the simple infinite if we want to talk about a general action?
