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rayt
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 60
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 Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:00 pm Post subject: taking or take ?? |
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Please help me out.
Birds clean their feathers by taking a bath. Even in cold weather, birds can be seen ____ a dip in a pond or a stream.
Why "taking" is used here instead of "take"??
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IanT
Joined: 13 Sep 2012
Posts: 340
Location: Spain
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| Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 7:45 am Post subject: |
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Well, when they are seen, they are taking a bath. So... they are seen... taking a bath. It's just how it is, really.
It is also possible to use the construction "they are seen to take a bath". But it's more formal, and sounds like you are only interested in the truth of it, not in watching them do it.
Hope helps,
Ian
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Tao
Joined: 26 Oct 2012
Posts: 66
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| Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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You wouldn't say birds clean their feathers by take a bath, it's what i think is called the progressive form. It is what the bird is doING, not what the bird is do. Your question should be phrased�Why is "taking" used here instead of "take"?
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