By Present progressive, Past tenses

#1 John who took my pen is here. #2 John who is wearing my jacket is here. How firm a grasp would you like to obtain? (I know I shouldn't have written that, but I couldn't resist.) The thing that works for me is to take out the the subject and the "verb" and see if it still...

Angliholic wrote:I regret saying that I hate you. I regret saying that I hated you. I regret to say that I hate you. I regret to say that I hated you. Which of the above four versions sound right to you? Which ones are identical in meaning? Thanks.Hi Angliholic, I regret to say I'd...

I was told that there are twelve tenses in English: 1: Simple Present Tense 2: Present Perfect Tense 3: Present Progressive Tense 4: Present Perfect Progressive Tense 5: Simple Past Tense 6: Past Perfect Tense 7: Past Progressive Tense 8: Past Perfect Progressive Tense 9: Simple Future...

Matt0915 wrote: 3. Why is, I have been watching my neighbor dig a hole all day in Present Progressive, BUT I watched my neighbor dig a hole all day yesterday not in Past Progressive? I have been watching my neighbor dig a hole all day is Present Progressive because it states the neighbor is...

Hi again, In #2, why is past progressive used? A salesclerk asks if she can help me. I want to look at sweaters is rather direct, rather strong. I wanted to look at sweaters is less direct, less strong, because the use of the past tense provides 'distance' to the request. It's sort of like,...

Hi Goodman, I got your answer. So the time is very important. If it indicates the furture, one should use present progressive instead of present simple. But what about the sentence: The plan leaves for india tomorrow. ? Goodman wrote: Hi Dax, As the others already pointed out,...

>"my dad said he is going to work tomorrow" or "my dad said he was going to work tomorrow."I don't agree that was is correct. The past tense said in this sentence refers to the time the man spoke. The present progressive is going is used in the sense of the future tense and refers to the time...

Hello AstraeaI too am a learner of English, but let me answer to your question.Are you asking if the sentences like below are correct? I write a letter now. I just finish my assignment.No, both are incorrect. Do you ask why? Are you asking why? It's because "write" and "finish" are...

When we use the exact words of the speaker or writer are used it's called quoted speech. If a statement is put into reported speech, the reporting verb is usually in the simple past and the verb in the reported statement is usually changed to a past tense. Simple past ----------------> ...

When he returns to Manhattan 1000 years later it has been destroyed and rebuilt three times 2 What