New2grammar  +  413198 Sun, 02 Sep 07 06:30 PM It has started to rain. It's starting to rain. It has started raining. Can someone explain the differences between the above sentences? I don't see any difference. Thanks! New2grammar Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006 Veteran Member 7,676 Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?

	Muslimah  +  413209 Sun, 02 Sep 07 06:38 PM i'll try to help, the first and the third are similar, we can say that "to rain" is working as "raining".. so the first and third are present perfect tense.. but the second one is present continuous tense.. Muslimah Joined on Thu, Jul 17 2003 Full Member 336 THE REAL FRIENDS ARE LIKE WATER, WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM! Tenses, Present Continuous, Present Perfect

	New2grammar  +  413223 Sun, 02 Sep 07 06:47 PM I know the tense is different but I don't see the effect of the tense difference on the timing of rain. Could you please elaborate? Thanks in advance! New2grammar Tenses

	Grammar Geek  +  413235 Sun, 02 Sep 07 06:54 PM The timing is VERY close. You look out the window and see those VERY FIRST drops or the pavement just starting to get wet - it's starting to rain. You look out the window and it's raining, and the pavement is just about all wet, but it's not coming down hard (yet!) - it's started to rain. And in truth, you can use either one in either situation without sounding too weird. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,683 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!