TO BE SPEAKING (VERB+ING)

Hi, Sundaran—The progressive was not needed there. "To be speaking" could be replaced by "to speak" in that sentence, which seems to be from spoken English.

Dear David

Got it. But in what situations we use "to be+ving" in English? And you can add a couple of examples as well🙏

@Former Member posted:

But in what situations we use "to be+ving" in English? And you can add a couple of examples as well🙏

"To be+ving" is the infinitival progressive. We use it when the progressive form of the verb in the infinitival clause is desireable from the standpoint of meaning.

• I want to be sleeping when she arrives.
• Remember to be smiling when she takes the picture.

Thank you, David! You are a true legend.

Dear Sir

Lemme rephrase your examples and please correct me if I am wrong.

• I want to be sleeping when she arrives = I want that I am sleeping when she arrives
• Remember to be smiling when she takes the picture = Remember that you are smiling when she takes the picture

@Former Member posted:

Dear Sir

Lemme rephrase your examples and please correct me if I am wrong.

• I want to be sleeping when she arrives = I want that I am sleeping when she arrives
• Remember to be smiling when she takes the picture = Remember that you are smiling when she takes the picture

Hello again, Sundaran—You have the right idea (that the progressive infinitives can be transposed to "normal" progressives), even though your paraphrases are ungrammatical. Here are paraphrases that are not ungrammatical:

• II want to be sleeping when she arrives. = I want it to be the case that I am sleeping when she arrives.
• Remember to be smiling when she takes the picture. = Remember that you should be smiling when she takes the picture.

Thanks a ton David for your time and patience with me.

Here again, I write a couple of examples to corroborate my understanding.

1) Remember to be doing something when the Boss arrives at office.

2) I need to be working a bureaucrat before my father leaving his job from America.

3) I want to be teaching at school before I turn 35 year old.

Pleas take a look and correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks in advance

Sundaran

Dear David

If you have time, would you mind checking the above?

Best Regards

Sundaran

@Former Member posted:

Here again, I write a couple of examples to corroborate my understanding.

1) Remember to be doing something when the Boss arrives at office.

2) I need to be working a bureaucrat before my father leaving his job from America.

3) I want to be teaching at school before I turn 35 year old.

Hi, Sundaran—Sentences (1) and (3) are correct, but (2) is not. You can say:

(2a) I need to be working as a bureaucrat before my father leaves his job in America.

Thank you David

Again, I appreciate your patience on me.

Kindest regards

Sundaran