Here is an exercise from English Grammar in Use.
- You're usually very patient, so why _________ so unreasonable about waiting ten more minutes? are you
The answer key says "are you being". Why the answer "are you" is incorrect ?
- Why isn't Steve at work today? He ______ ill. is being
The answer key says "is". I think Steve is still ill when the speaker ask this question. Can I use "is being" ?
Best Answer
The main differences between are and are being, or is and is being, are volition and duration; are being means roughly, "are currently choosing to be (and could easily choose to stop being)".
So, "why are you being so unreasonable?" means roughly, "why are you choosing to be so unreasonable right now"; and ?"he is being ill" would mean roughly "he's choosing to be ill right now".
What's more, even if you really do mean that someone is (somehow) choosing to be ill, this is a very odd thing to say, so you would want to be explicit; you wouldn't just suggest it by saying "he is being ill".