[title]Family quotes[/title] [description]Welcome to our family quotes section! Here you'll find some of the funniest (and wisest) quotes on the subject of family life![/description]
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Latest post Wed, May 12 2004 2:18 PM by kennduong. 1 replies.
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kennduong  +  29705 Wed, 12 May 04 02:18 PM
I had a test like this:
Susan is a student but she (1. not, go) to school right now because it's summer(i think it's summer time or it's in summer is better).Her course usually starts from Aug to Dec. In summer, she usually works in a post office near her school to earn money. In fact, she (2. work) there this summer.
1. is it compulsory that we use " isn't going" in any context? In my opion, "doesn't go" is OK. What do you think?
2. I wrote " has been working " / " works" to tell that
+ Either Susan started working some time in the past and she is till working in the office now .
+ Or working in the office is her job every summer.
But I get an explanation from my teacher that " is working " is the unique answer because it expresses her temporary job. How can it be if it says, in the text, that "she usually works in a post office near her school"?
I need a clear and logical explanation. Thanks a lot
Joined on Wed, May 12 2004
vietnam
New Member 11
miriam  +  29742 Thu, 13 May 04 02:25 AM
1. I don't think it's a matter of obligation, "isn't going" just sounds natural in that sentence. The meaning is that Susan goes to school (Simple Present because it is something she des regularly), but she isn't going to school right now. "Right now" doesn't give the idea of any action you perform regularly or habitually, so the Present Continuous makes sense in that part of the sentence. She just is not going to school at the moment.
"Susan doesn't go to school" would mean she never goes to school, she doesn't attend classes.

2. The first sentence in that short paragraph says that it is summer now. So, if Susan works in summer, she "is working" at the moment.
"has been working" means she started to work at some time in the past and she is still working. However, since you're told that it is summer "now", Susan "is working".
Look at it this way: the sentence would sound weird if it said "It has been summer since June/for a month". "It is summer" sounds much more natural in that paragraph. And Susan "is doing" something this summer: she "is working".

Not sure my explanation is very clear, but I hope it helps.


Joined on Mon, May 10 2004
Argentina
Regular Member 821
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." Plato
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