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Has/is having (a break now)

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Latest post Sat, Nov 29 2008 11:19 AM by Magic79. 3 replies.
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Magic79  +  598458 Sat, 29 Nov 08 07:47 AM
It's 10 am. He is in his office. He __a break now.

To me, both (has and is having) sound OK. But can anyone explain this in more details? Thanks.
Magic79
Joined on Sun, Jul 2 2006
Full Member 225
Yoong Liat, 361 days ago

Magic79
“It's 10 am. He is in his office. He __a break now.

To me, both (has and is having) sound OK. But can anyone explain this in more details? Thanks.

”
"He is having a break now."   He/She could be drinking or resting.
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Tanit  +  598570 Sat, 29 Nov 08 10:22 AM

Magic79
“It's 10 am. He is in his office. He __a break now.

To me, both (has and is having) sound OK. But can anyone explain this in more details? Thanks.”


Hi,

I would use only "is having".

Present simple is generally associated with repeated actions, so it would be appropriate in a sentence like "At 10am he is in his office and has a break."
In your sentence, you're not talking about his habits/a routine, but about something that is happening right now, and "now" calls for present progressive.

I wonder if your concern has to do with the so-called rule according to which stative verbs shouldn't be used in the progressive form. That rule oversimplifies English grammar.Wink


Just my (a learner's) two cents.
Tanit
Joined on Mon, Jul 31 2006
Senior Member 3,037
There is no greater pain than to remember a happy time when one is in misery. (Dante)
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Magic79  +  598613 Sat, 29 Nov 08 11:19 AM
Thanks Tanit.

My confusion might be rooted in the rule that says we can't use the possesion have/has in the present progressive: I am having a car (wrong).
                              I have a car (correct).
But I was really driven by intuition rather than a formal rule. This intuiton might be rooted in the rule that you menitoned because I learened it years and years ago.

But how about this:
Speaker A: Hey! I would like to talk to you. Do you have a break now?
Speaker B: Hmmm, yes I do. (I do have a break = I have a break now). Yes, I actually have a break now.

To me, speaker B sounds correct. If I am right, then the difference between
a. I have a break now.
b. I am having a break now.
is that (a) might mean that I am just starting my break, where as (b) is in the middle of his break.

Is my intuition on this right?

If not, is it ever possible to use "I have a break now" in a different context? Can you think of one?

Thanks
Magic79
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