1
× I’m not having time to do sport these days.
√ I don’t have time to do sport these days.
× Now I’m not knowing what I will do tomorrow.
√ Now I don’t know what I will do tomorrow.
Have, when it means ‘possess’, and know, are non-continuous verbs, verb which we don’t normally use in the continuous form. There are not many non-continuous (or non-action) verbs. They include, for example:
- Verbs of possession: have, own, belong, etc.
- Verbs of emotion: like, dislike, hate, love, fear, envy, etc.
- Verbs of opinion: think, believe, feel, etc. (when these verbs refer to someone’s opinion of something)
- Copulative verbs: be, seem, appear, seem, become, etc.
2
× I’m seeing a very suspicios man now.
√ I can see a very suspicios man now.
× Perfect! I’m hearing you know.
√ Perfect! I can hear you know.
The verbs of the senses (see, hear, feel, taste) are non-continuous verbs (see 1 above). If want to use them in a continuous sense, we normally use them after can: ‘I can feel how smooth this blouse is.’