verbs - Grammaticality of "I am worrying" and how it compares to "I am worried" and "I worry"


This question is about worried about vs. worrying about. I think "being worried about someone/something" is more usual than "worry about", isn't it?


Can I use the progressive aspect for ongoing worriedness? For example:




  • I am worrying about their expectations about me.

  • I'm worrying about next.




Answer



The usual construction in such cases is I’m worried about . . . This is because verbs of perception, emotion and thinking do not typically occur in the progressive form. That is not to say that they never do. It would not be unusual to hear, for example, someone who was a habitual worrier being asked What are you worrying about now? But if English is not your first language, then you are probably on safer ground by avoiding it with such verbs.


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