the meaning of “looking”

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hello,

Could you please explain the meaning of “looking” in the sentence of this listening exercise? What is its synonym?

I have studied the entries of online dictionaries and found the meanings ”appear” and “seem” are close alternatives. but I still have doubt because “looking” is used in the progressive tense rather than a linking verb.

Here is an excerpt from the listening transcript:

Listening Comprehension Transcript

— So, how are the results from the focus group looking, Sean?
— So far, pretty good. Most participants said they are willing to pay more for a soft drink that is supplemented with vitamins.
— And how about the taste-test…

TOEIC listening part III, set 15, exercise 9

english-test.net/toeic/liste … prehension

Thank you.

Best wishes,
Bhikkhu1991a.

2

You’re right, “looking” is used in the sense of “seeming” or “appearing”.

“How are the results looking?”
“The results are looking good.”

“You’re looking happy today!”

3

Hello Dozy,

Thank you for providing me with your helpful information. According to the prestigious online dictionaries such as dictionary.cambridge.org/diction … h/appear_2, “look”, “appear” or “seem” is not used in the progressive tense. Because of this reason, it is regarded as a stative verb. I believe it only works informally or colloquially. This informal usage is what you meant, isn’t it?

Thank you.

Best wishes,
Bhikkhu1991a.

4

This strikes me as a little dismissive of this use of ‘look’ in the continuous form. A sentence like: The situation is now looking serious, seems acceptable to me.

Alan