Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Mental process verbs

339e

Verbs such as hear, know, reckon, see, suppose, think, understand, are most

typically used in the present simple, not the progressive:

I 

hear you went to see the rugby match.

(I’m hearing you went to see the rugby match.)

My mum 

reckons it’s because he’s stressed out.

I 

see what you mean.

I 

think he’s lost a bit of weight actually.

Progressive uses of these verbs usually have a slightly different meaning.

Think

in present progressive often means ‘consider’ or ‘incline towards an

opinion’:

I

’m thinking of the neighbours really.

She

’s thinking of moving to London.

I’

m thinking more like, you know, the middle of July.

600 | Present time

Cambridge Grammar of English

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See

in the present progressive tends to mean ‘meet with’ or ‘have a romantic

relationship with’:

I’m sorry, he’s busy. He

’s seeing a client at the moment.

She’

s seeing some guy she works with.