Search results for 'tag:Difference between tag:Present continuous' matching tags 'Difference between' and 'Present continuous'

Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

Jeanne-Eliza — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:06:20 GMT

Present simple vs.Present Continuous

Could you please help me: what is the best way to explain the difference between Present Simple and Present Continuous Tenses using the topic of "Travelling" .The learners are adults (Elementary).
Thank you very much in advance!

Re: I really don't get it :(

anglista2008 — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:40:09 GMT

CalifJim
anglista2008
a) When we're getting familiar with a language, we may say we're picking it up. (why on earth the present continuous twice?)
and
b) When we get familiar with a language, we may say we pick it up.
There is no good reason to break the parallelism, so in both cases the same tense is used in both parts of the sentence.
Why would you define an action in a tense different from the tense given in describing the action originally? That would be like saying:
Dining out is when you went to the restaurant.
Such mixtures can create so much incoherence that they are impossible for the reader to follow.
CJ

1. then... is there any difference at all, between saying such a sentence in tPS than in tPC? does it mean exactly the same when I say (again, or 'when I'm saying' ?)

a) when we get familiar...
b) when we're getting familiar...

2.coming back to the 'work' issue... I guess there's not much of a difference between saying "I work for/in/at(?) the AT&T" and "I'm working for/in/at(?) the AT&T" ?

thanks, best wishes!

I really don't get it :(

anglista2008 — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:29:02 GMT

Hey there,

Guys, you know what? I've been studying English for so many years, I've read so many grammar books, I've been consulting lots of smaller and bigger issues concerning grammar... and still (sic) there are things that drive me crazy :( Take a look at this one:

1. the present simple vs the present continuous... what's the difference between:

a) Do you think what I think?
and
b) Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
and
c) Are you thiniking what I think?
and
d) Do you think what I'm thinking?

2. again, the same issue, but a different example

a) When we're getting familiar with a language, we may say we're picking it up. (why on earth the present continuous twice?)
and
b) When we get familiar with a language, we may say we pick it up.

3. Again, PS vs PC

a) My dad works as a sales representative.
b) My dad is working as a sales representative.

I often see, or read, that people use "work" in the PC, and I dunno why... I've always thought that "work" is something more stable, and more permanent, like "live"

4. phrasal verbs and their use... can I say the following sentences?

a) If we don't work out our problems, they'll hit us with a greater force next time.
b) With such a bad English, I'll never be able to get across.
c) With such a bad English, I'll never get across.

Thanks in advance,

expressing future

Loojka — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:59:32 GMT

Hello everyone!
I've got two questions to ask:

1. Are "be going to" and the Present Continuous two completely interchangeable forms when we talk about expressing future plans? Is there any difference between "Henry is having a birthday party on Saturday" and "Henry is going to have a birthday party on Saturday"?

2. What is the question tag for the sentence "I am here..."? Is there a question tag for this one at all?

Thank you very much!

Re: Can I say it like these

Avangi — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:46:53 GMT

Anyway, I'm not going to write all those examples again, but the gist of it is that in the affirmative, you can explain a difference between present continuous and present perfect, but in the negative, when something doesn't happen, it doesn't make much difference if it doesn't happen continuously or if it hasn't happened at all.

The infinitive, to say, works with "do" for questions and other tenses. "What did they say about her?" "They did say bad things about her." "That person does say bad things about her."

"I / we / you / they say bad things about her all the time," is simple present. Unfortunately, third person singular switches to "says."

Re: What is the difference between "I will and I am going to"

Alan.es — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:46:18 GMT

If teaching it for the first time, how about breaking it down like this:

Decisions/offersÂ .. Intentions..plans

Decisions/offers...Â we use 'will'

at the moment of deciding or offering something E.g.

It's hot in here, I'll open the window.

O.K., I'll go tomorrow.

If it's nice tomorrow, we'll go to the seaside.

Intentions.. we use 'going to'

Â When the decision/offer has been decided but has not been totally organised

We've decided that we're going to the seaside tomorrow

Tom's told me that he's going to help me with the repair.

Plans.. we use 'present continuous'

When the decision has been made and all the arrangements made, tickets bought, timetable sorted , etc.

We've bought the tickets so we're flying to Rome next month.

That's it then,the deposit's been paid; we're buying a new car.

Predictions

Opinions, no physical evidence .. we use 'will'.

I think Chelsea will win.

The forecast says it will be raining tomorrow.

When there is physical evidence which can be seen, heard, felt..we use 'going to'.

Look at those dark clouds, it's going to rain.

Can you hear that noise, the car's going to break down.

Finally , things which will happen in the future and not now.

Things which will happen in the future, not now, ..we use 'will'

We will all die someday.

Men will live on the moon sometime.

As a final word, it isn't as easy as this but it helps students get some idea of it and also it fits most examination questions at a basic level.

Re: is joining/ will be joining

Clive — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:44:36 GMT

Hi,

could you pls explain the difference between

1) He is joining on oct 28 .He will joining on Oct 28.

2) "we are moving " "we will be moving"

I am confused as which is correct.

I know we can use present tense for the action that is decided before we speak. I would say it this way. You can use present continuous, if you want to, to show that plans and arrangements that are already made. If other people are involved, they have agreed to the plan.

Howver, you can also speak of these events with future continuous, but then you are not showing so clearly that the arrangements have been made, etc.

hence we can use "He is joining on Oct 28" .But when we already decided

why do we need to say "he will be joining" "i will be sending" which is correct

Please post again if you still are not clear about this.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: who wear/wearing

Kooyeen — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:35:28 GMT

Hi N2G,

New2grammar wrote:
You are a pervert now, one who likes watching grannies wearing a strapless bra.

You are a pervert now, one who likes watching grannies who wear a strapless bra.

Is there any difference in meaning?

It's the same as between "see someone do" and "see someone doing", or "hear someone say" and "hear someone saying"... Do you know the difference between those?

...watching grannies who are wearing a strapless bra. => ...watching grannies who wearing a strapless bra.

You leave out "who are", "who is", etc. Did you see the girl singing in the other room? = Did you see the girl who was singing in the other room?

So the only thing you need to understand is the difference between the simple present and the present continuous. And I'm sure you already know the difference.

liable

MIA6 — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:46:07 GMT

1. He is thankful to the old lady. I think it's wrong. I want to say that he feels thankful since the old lady must have helped him. But how to express that sentence in a right way? I think the preposition 'to' is wrong using here.

2. He is always traveling. Why does it use present continuous tense here? What's the difference if I say: He always travels.

3. That book is liable to become a best seller because it is welll written, full of suspense, and very entertaining. Is 'liable' here the right word in the sentence? Is 'likely' better? What's the difference between these two words?

Thanks.

ING

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:17:13 GMT

Hi, everybody I have a few questions.

What's the difference between: gerund, past participle, present continuous and present progressive? Can you make me an example of each? How do I recognize them?, to what question do they answer?