Been/being meaning?

[captain1]

Hello, I would like to know what is the meaning of the sentences:

1. Mark is being generous
What is the meaning and what is the difference between that and Mark is generous.
What is the propose of being here?

2. Being told what to do is not pleasant
What is the meaning of the sentence and what is the propose of being here?


There are too many options for using "be", it creates problem in understanding, is there a tip for that?

Thank.

 

[captain1]

Thank you for your answer. What is the meaning of sentence number two? Thanks again.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I would say a gerund is a noun that retains some characteristics of a verb.

 

[Matthew Wai]

1. Mark is being generous

What is the propose of being here?

If you mean 'purpose', I would think that 'being' refers to the moment when the sentence is used.

 

[captain1]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

TheParser: I got the job that I applied for!

Mona: I don't understand. You don't know anything about computers.

TheParser: The manager said that he would give me a chance to learn how to use computers.

Mona: By the way, is the manager over there named Mark?

TheParser: Why, yes. How did you know?

Mona: Well, Mark is famous for being extremely kind. Believe me, Mark was being overly generous, as usual. No other manager would have hired you. I certainly wouldn't have!

Thanks, I have a question: your answer creates a conflict with the answer of Piscean - ". 'Mark is being generous' probably refers to a particular action of Mark that demonstrates his (temporary) generosity"


So, Mark is being generous = he is not really generous, its just one-time or this moment?
Or mark is being generous - we can't draw conclusion about the frequency of being generous?
Thanks.

 

[Matthew Wai]

So, Mark is being generous = he is not really generous, its just one-time or this moment?

I think he is generous at the moment, but I don't know whether he is usually generous because the sentence says nothing about it.

 

[captain1]

There is no conflict. The second use of 'being' in TheParser's dialogue is as part of a progressive form. Mark was being overly generous (behaving in an overly generous way) on the occasion of giving TheParser the job.

The first use is as a gerund after the preposition 'for'.

If the present progressive can be used for temporary situations, how the word usual(is not it constant?)and the present progressive are written together?

 

[captain1]

Can I bump now?

 

[Matthew Wai]

If the present progressive can be used for temporary situations, how the word usual(is not it constant?)and the present progressive are written together?

Can you give an example where they are used together?

 

[captain1]

Mark was being overly generous, as usual. No other manager would have hired you. I certainly wouldn't have!

 

[MikeNewYork]

I don't see anything wrong with that sentence. In this case, "as usual" means that he has been overly generous many times in the past. This is just another example.

 

[captain1]

My question: usual = points about something constant

Present progressive - we use for something that is temporary.

How they can be together?

From the one side, the sentence say: he is generous(as always,usual) from the other side(present progressive)

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think there is no conflict in 'He is being generous, and he is usually generous.'

 

[captain1]

He is being generous - its the same like he is generous? So, their is no any difference in the meaning of the time here?

 

[Matthew Wai]

'He is being generous' is one thing. 'He is generous' is another thing.
They are not the same thing, but there is no conflict between them.

 

[captain1]

Ask it differently: The present progressive sentence here says that he is generous at this moment(this is the purpose of present progressive). But what happened when we add a word that reflect a constant like usual? it doesn't have the meaning of being constant?(he is always generous).

Can we add a word that reflects constant in present progressive?

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Captain:

I will let more intelligent people than I answer your excellent question.

I am replyiing only because you are preparing for an examination.

So I'm sure that it was just a mistake, but the spelling should be "So is there no difference in the meaning?"

(As you know, "their" is a possessive adjective: "Their teacher is very patient and humble.")

 

[captain1]

Yes, Thank you. I didn't see.

 

[captain1]

Is my question so odd? Nobody knows?

 

[MikeNewYork]

You have asked the same question several times. I think people are running out of new answers.