4. 修辞功能

英语动词进行体还可以用来表示礼貌、委婉或亲切等等，如：

(l) He was shaking her hand before I could finish the introduction. I noted that he was not wearing any of his Banker Costumes.

还没等我介绍完，他就跟她握起手来了。我发现他也没有穿银行家那种堂而皇之的礼服。（进行体was shaking表示 亲切）

(m) I'm happy to have you with us this morning，and I hope you'll be feeling at home here.

今天上午能跟你们一起度过,使我很高兴，大家千万别客气啊。(进行体表示亲切或礼貌）

(n) As a matter of fact，we've been hoping you will come, Edith. And I was expecting you to phone me in any case. 我们真的一直在盼你来啊，艾迪丝。我想你无论如何会给我打一个电话。（进行体表示殷切）

5. 表示主语的特征或倾向

(o) Kiplingwas being humerous, of course, but none the less, that is an excellent statement of the attitude that many people have in all seriousness,

当然，吉卜林在这里表现出的是他那种幽默感。但他以绝 妙的方式说出了许多人一本正经时说的话。

(p) Jackie Felt hovered around the med room，telling the physician how I wasn't eating right and that all this might have been averted had I been taking sufficiant salt.

杰姬•费尔特在诊室里缠住医生,说我吃的东西不对头， 说我要是在食物里放够盐,情况就会完全改变。

(q) This may be a large factor in your failure. You may be putting off your colleagues by the expression on your face.

你很可能败就败在脸上那副表情怠慢了同事。

进行体在当代英语中有增多趋势，它的情态表意功能很可能不限于以上五个方面。译者在翻译中遇到具体上下文宜多琢磨其精微涵义，加深理解，不必斤斤于见诸文字，以免过犹不及，以词害义。