pretend to be doing is to emphasize that the infinitive action is in progress.
pretend to do is to emphasize pretending to do something. It doesn't have to be going on or it has already happened.
There is also a perfect tense, pretend to have done, which emphasizes pretending that the following actions have been completed.
pretend to be reading means that he is pretending to be reading.
pretend to sleep means that he is going to sleep.
pretend
vt.
Pretend, dress up (as an excuse or reason). Feign:
Camouflage: show a false face; Camouflage:
"You had to preview conformity while privately pursuing high and dangerous nonconformance" (Anthony Burgess)
"When you pursue lofty and dangerous Protestantism in private, you still have to pretend to believe in the state religion" (Anthony Burgess)
To claim or allege in church or falely; Profess: Doesn't predicted to be an expert. Don't pretend to be an expert To represent fictitiously in play; Make believe: dress up: to play fictionally in a drama; Convince: they were on a cruise. They pretended to patrol the sea To take upon oneself; Venture: do boldly: make yourself responsible; Take the risk of doing something: I can't predict to say that you are wrong. I dare not say that you are wrong v.intr. (intransitive verb) to feign an action or a character, as in play. Play: pretend to be a certain behavior or a certain role, For example, pretending to be To put forward a claim. claiming: making demands to make pretexts: pretending: pretexts to gourmet tastes. pretending to have the taste of a gourmet adj. informative (adjective) informal . Make-believe: imitative; Imitation: pretend money; Pretend pearls. counterfeit money; Fake pearls Middle English tender Middle English tender from old French tender from old French tender from Latin tender from Latin tender pr. Ae- [pre-] prae- [prefix, table "before"] tender [to extend] * see ten- tender [to extend] * See ten- postponed, assume, correct, simulate, feign. Counterfeit these verbs all mean to take on a false or misleading appearance. These verbs all mean to adopt false or misleading appearances. Pretend often suggests a vain or transparent attempt to fool or deceive: Pretend often implies a futile or obvious attempt to fool or deceive: "My bed mate postponed to be asleep" (George W. Cable). "My pillow-mate pretends to be asleep" (George W. Kay suppose may-but does not necessarily-connote dishonesty, insincerity, or trick: suppose may-but not necessarily-mean dishonesty, insincerity or deception: "suppose a virture, If you have it not "(shakespeare). " If you don't have virtue, pretend you do "(Shakespeare). I assured an air of confidence that I was far from feeling. I showed a confident air when I was far from feeling confident. affect suggestions an effort to give the appearance of something out of personal preference or to make an impression: affect implies a personal preference or desire. An effort to make a good impression and deliberately show a certain manner: "He affects the destructive pettiness of a rock star" (Anna Lynswan). "He pretends to be as stubborn and headstrong as a rock star" (Analin Swan). simulate images the assurance of an appearance or a form that closes assemblies reality: simulate emphasizes the form of pretending or approaching reality: "a ... Verdant Scum. upon the surface of deep pools simulated the turf that had been removed” (John Lothrop Motley). The remaining terms—feign, fake, And counter-feit-all imply at least a measure of de liberate Sham. "The green floating algae on the surface of the deep pool gives people an illusion, as if the grass has been moved" (John Loen Ropmo Terry). The remaining words, such as feign, fake and counterfeit, all imply some degree of falsehood. feign suggestions false representation or fictitious fabrication: feign refers to wrong representation or artificial manufacture: the child feigned a look of innocence when his mother ask. Ed who had eaten the cake. When his mother asked who had eaten the cake, the child put on an innocent expression. Fake implications fraudulent simulation: Fake means deceptive disguise and impersonation: He faked an interest in my work. He pretended to be interested in my work. Counterfeit de notes a close imitation that can be passed for an original: Counterfeit implies that it can be imitated almost with the real thing: "Full well they laughed with counter. Feited Glee "(Oliver Goldsmith). " They laughed with great disguised joy "(Oliver Goldsmith)