Search results for 'tag:Simple present tag:Difference between' matching tags 'Simple present' and 'Difference between'

Re: When

Clive — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:42:42 GMT

Hi,

It might be helpful to you if I first try to summarize the comments on as/when/while by Michael Swan in his very useful book, 'Practical English Usage'. I think it's possible you may have already looked at this, but here it is anyway.

To talk about actions or situations that take place at the seame time, we can use as/when/while. There are some differences.
1. Backgrounds: as/when/while
We can use all 3 to introduce a longer background action or situation, which is going on when something else happens.
As I was having a shower, the phone rang.
The phone rang when I was havng a shower.
While I was having a shower, the phone rang.

All 3 clauses can go at the beginning or the end, but 'as' clauses usually introduce less important information and most often go at the beginning.

A progressive tense is usually used for the longer background action. But as/while can be used with a simple tense, especially with verbs like sit/lie/grow that refer to a continuous action or state.
As I sat in front of the TV, the phone rang.

3. Simultaneous long actions: while/as

We usually say as/while to show that 2 longer actions or situations went on at the same time. You can use progressive or simple tenses.

While you were sleeping, I was working.
Mary cooked dinner while I watched TV.

'As' is used (with simple tenses) to talk about 2 situations which develop or change together.
As I get older, I get more optimistic.

We prefer 'when' to refer to ages and periods of life.
When I was a child, we lived in Britain. (Not As/While I was a child. . . )

His parents died when he was ten. (Not while he was ten)

3. Simultaneous short actions: (just ) as; (just) when

We usually use (just) as to say that 2 short actions happen at the same time.
As I opened my eyes, I heard a strange voice.
Mary always arrives just as I start work.

(Just) when is also possible.
I thought of it just when you opened your mouth.

4. Reduced clauses with 'when' and 'while'.

It's often possible to omit 'subject + be' after 'when', especially when it means 'whenever', and also after 'while'.
Don't forget to signal when turning right ie when (you are) turning right.
Start when ready ie when (you are) ready.
While in Japan, he learned Japanese. ie while (he was) in Japan.

Now, I'll try to comment on your questions. These are my comments, not Swan's. I haven't refered back to Swan to review my answers. I've just answered from the point of view of an ordinary native speaker.

I'm greatful for your answers. However, I'm still unclear about their usage. Here are my questions:
1.
(1)He carelessly stepped on Jenny's foot while he danced with her.
(2)He carelessly stepped on Jenny's foot while he was dancing with her.

What is the subtle difference in meaning between #1 and #2? #2 suggests more that he did not just dance with her for a short time.

(3)He carelessly stepped on Jenny's foot when he danced with her.
(4)He carelessly stepped on Jenny's foot when he was dancing with her.

What is the difference between #3 and #4? Same comment.

2."While we cleaned the windows, they swept the floor."
(1)Do the two activities sound short or what does it emphasize? No. They just sound complete.
(2)The difference between 'while we were cleaning' and 'while we cleaned' can apply to 'as we were cleaning' and 'as we cleaned' and 'when we were cleaning' and 'when we cleaned'? Yes.

3."It was dark as he was walking home from work."
(1)I am confused why 'as' is ok here because there aren't two actions in the sentence. It's probably because the verb 'be' is special. Here, it describes an ongoing state.
(2)Can I say
"It was dark when/while/as he walked home from work." Yes

4.If 'when' means 'whenever' can I use 'while' or 'as' instead of 'when'? For example,
(1)When/while/As you are traveling, it is normal to have the runs sometimes. 'When/while' sound OK. 'As' doesn't sound so good to me. It also sounds a bit like it might mean 'because'.

Can I use simple present tense here, as in
(2)When/While/As you travel, it is normal to have the runs sometimes. Same comment as just above.

What is the difference between '#1 and #2 #2 stresses duration a bit more.

5.If the same person does two actions during the same period of time, Sould I use while, when or 'as here? Here are three pairs of examples, which is correct in the pairs?

(1)John~~is often whistling~~ when/while/as he is walking. Continuous does not sound correct here, because 'often' refers to a habit, which is best described by a simple tense.
(2)He often whistles when/while/as he walks. I prefer 'while'.

(3)The students took notes while/when/as they listened.
(4)The students were taking notes while/when/as they were listening.
(If the actions happened some time ago) 'When' does not sound good here. It sems to suggest that sometimes the students were not listening. Like'whenever'.

If the actions are happening right now, can I say
(5)The students are taking notes while/when/as they are listening.
or
(6)The students take notes while/when/as they listen.
The tense does not make any difference. Same comments as just above.

6.When it comes to 'age' can I use 'while'? For example,
'When she was only five years old, she could speak three languages.'
Can I use 'while' here instead of 'when? No. See Swan's comment on this.

7.'I thought of it just when you opened your mouth.'

I think 'when' means 'at the time that' here and the two actions happened at the same time. Can I use 'as' instead of 'when' as in
'I thought of it just as you opened your mouth.' Yes.

By the way, what does 'subject to' mean in 'subject to my comments above'?

It means 'Consider my comments above'. 'Yes, subject to my comments above' means "The answer is 'Yes', but only to the extent allowed by my comments above".

Clive

Re: When

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:20:18 GMT

Hi Clive,

What is the subtle difference in meaning between #1 and #2?

(3)He carelessly stepped on Jenny's foot when he danced with her.
(4)He carelessly stepped on Jenny's foot when he was dancing with her.

What is the difference between #3 and #4?

2."While we cleaned the windows, they swept the floor."
(1)Do the two activities sound short or what does it emphasize?
(2)The difference between 'while we were cleaning' and 'while we cleaned' can apply to 'as we were cleaning' and 'as we cleaned' and 'when we were cleaning' and 'when we cleaned'?

3."It was dark as he was walking home from work."
(1)I am confused why 'as' is ok here because there aren't two actions in the sentence.
(2)Can I say
"It was dark when/while/as he walked home from work."

4.If 'when' means 'whenever' can I use 'while' or 'as' instead of 'when'? For example,
(1)When/while/As you are traveling, it is normal to have the runs sometimes.

Can I use simple present tense here, as in
(2)When/While/As you travel, it is normal to have the runs sometimes.

What is the difference between '#1 and #2

5.If the same person does two actions during the same period of time, Sould I use while, when or 'as here? Here are three pairs of examples, which is correct in the pairs?

(1)John is often whistling when/while/as he is walking.
(2)He often whistles when/while/as he walks.

(3)The students took notes while/when/as they listened.
(4)The students were taking notes while/when/as they were listening.
(If the actions happened some time ago)

If the actions are happening right now, can I say
(5)The students are taking notes while/when/as they are listening.
or
(6)The students take notes while/when/as they listen.

6.When it comes to 'age' can I use 'while'? For example,
'When she was only five years old, she could speak three languages.'
Can I use 'while' here instead of 'when?

7.'I thought of it just when you opened your mouth.'

I think 'when' means 'at the time that' here and the two actions happened at the same time. Can I use 'as' instead of 'when' as in
'I thought of it just as you opened your mouth.'

By the way, what does 'subject to' mean in 'subject to my comments above'?

I appreciate your help.

Re: Present Perfect (americans)

Diamondrg — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:40:10 GMT

Hi, YSchneider. I am not a native speaker and this is indeed a tough grammar point for non-native speakers.

Here is an extract from CGEL*:

Did you lock the front door? [5]

in a domestic situation where it is known that the front door is locked at bedtime every night. In that case, [5] is more or less equivalent to Did you
lock the front door at bedtime? (Incidentally, in [5], "the" in "the front door" is another case of situational definiteness; cfS.Uff.)

--

The ATTITUDINAL PAST, used with verbs expressing volition or mental state, reflects the tentative attitude of the speaker, rather than past time.
In the following pairs, both the present and past tenses refer to a present state of mind, but the latter is somewhat more polite:

Do/Did you want to see me now?
I wonder/wondered if you could help us.

--

Where did you put my purse ? [ 1 ]
Where have you put my purse? [2]

The purpose of both of these questions may be to find the purse; but in [1] the speaker seems to ask the addressee to remember a past action; while in [2] the speaker apparently concentrates on the purse's present whereabouts. There are many such cases.

--

Leaving aside such virtual equivalences, we may now focus on the difference between the two constructions, contrasting the meanings of the simple past given in 4.14 with the following meanings of the simple present perfective:

(a) STATE LEADING UP TO THE PRESENT

That house has been empty for ages.
Have you known my sister for long?

(b) INDEFINITE EVENT(S) IN A PERIOD LEADING UP TO THE PRESENT

Have you (ever) been to Florence?
All our children have had measles.

(c) HABIT (ie recurrent event) IN A PERIOD LEADING UP TO THE PRESENT

Mr Terry has sung in this choir ever since he was a boy.
The province has suffered from disastrous floods throughout its history.

Of these meanings, (a) corresponds to the 'state past' use of the simple past, but differs from it in specifying that the state continues at least up to the present moment (cf: That house was empty for ages - but now it's been sold); (b) corresponds to the 'event past', but differs from it in that the past time in question is indefinite rather than definite (cf: Did you go to Florence (last summer) ?); (c) corresponds to the 'habitual past', but, as with (a), the period identified must continue up to the present.

Note In AmE there is a tendency to use the past tense in preference to the present perfective, especially for the indefinite past; eg: Did you ever go to Florence ? (c/4.13 Note lb], 4.22 Note [a ]).

--

Have you seen the Javanese Art Exhibition? [yet]
Did you see the Javanese Art Exhibition? [when it was here]

The first of these implies that the Exhibition is still open; the second that the Exhibition has finished. From this concern with a period still existing at the present time, it is only a short step to the second implication often associated with the present perfective, viz that the event is recent. The simple present perfective is often used to report a piece of news:

_., , > the news? The president has resigned.

Because of this connotation of recency, B's reply in the following exchange must be considered absurdly inappropriate:

A: Has the postman left any letters? B: Yes, he did six months ago.

Since postmen in general deliver letters daily, the implicit time zone in this case would be no longer than a day.

[Note] In AmE, the simple past is often preferred to the present perfective for the variants of the indefinite past discussed in this section. Compare [6 ], for example, with Did the children come home yet? <esp AmE). Other AmE examples are: I just came back; You told me already; and without an adverb: /*m tired -1 had a long day.

* A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language (Quirk et al.]

Re: a Few grammar questions

CalifJim — Sat, 17 May 2008 00:12:40 GMT

Anonymous
Explain why the verb âTo Beâ is not a non-progressive verb?

It can be used in progressive tenses -- although this is not common. (The baby is being difficult this morning.)

Anonymous
I know the simple present never talks about the present ...

You have false knowledge. I wonder what makes you think this.

Anonymous
Why does the present tense not exist in English?

Again, you are mistaken. The present tense exists in English. Where are you getting all these crazy ideas?

Anonymous
What are perpendicular and parallel actions?

I've never heard of this distinction.

Anonymous
What is the difference between the Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Progressive?

Present Perfect is formed with the auxiliary have and the past participle of some verb: have seen, has done, have lived. Present Perfect Progressive is formed with the auxiliaries have and been and the present participle of some verb: have been seeing, has been doing, has been living.

a Few grammar questions

Anonymous — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:47:12 GMT

Hi everyone,

I have a few grammar questions and I don't know how to answer them:

Explain why the verb âTo Beâ is not a non-progressive verb?

I know the simple present never talks about the present but what can be an exception to this rule?

Why does the present tense not exist in English?

What are perpendicular and parallel actions?

and

What is the difference between the Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Progressive?

Thank you in advance if you take the time to help me :)

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: 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.

Re: Which conditional is this?

MrPedantic — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:31:50 GMT

Hello Believer,

I can see now that I missed an ambiguity in your example:

1. If you've had a cold for a month, you should go and see a doctor.

â in the context of "general advice", this is a variant on the type 1 conditional. The present perfect replaces the simple present; "should" replaces "will".

2. "I've had a cold for a month." "If you've had a cold for a month, you should go and see a doctor."

â as in my previous post, here, "if" is very close to "since"; the speaker accepts the fact expressed in the if-clause.

Your later sentence isn't quite idiomatic, as it stands; but you could rephrase it as:

3. If you have won Â£200,000 in the last month, you should go out and buy a new watch.

Again, this could be regarded as general advice, and therefore a variant on the type 1 conditional, as in #1 above; or it could be a similar case to #2, where "if" is very close to "since":

4. "I've won Â£200,000 at the races, in the last month." "If you've won Â£200,000 in the last month, you should go out and buy a new watch."

The difference between #1/#3 and #2/#4 is one of focus. In #1 and #3, the speaker expresses an implication; in #2 and #4, the speaker expresses an inference.

Would it help if I gave you some more examples?

MrP

Re: How and What??

The Graduate — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:08:04 GMT

Hi Jhaeden,

First of all, the first sentence is in the past tense where the second one is in the simple present tense.

I think the difference between them lies in their use .. for example, consider the following conversation:

A1: I think we should bring some actor to surprise him in his birthday!

A2: Wow, that is really a great idea, How did you think about it! [to express the feeling of surprise]

-------------

A1: That is a good sungalsses, What do you think about it? [to ask for opinion]

A2: I think it is very cool!

I hope what I wrote is right ..

Re: Difference between "Did" and "Have"

Yoong Liat — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 15:26:50 GMT

Tomer wrote:
Can someone clear up when to use "have" and when "did"
cause i'm always doubtful when to use "have" and "did"

For example: Why haven't you said it earlier?
while Why didn't you said it ealier sounds perfectly right?

Why haven't you said it earlier?

When we use 'has' or 'have', the following verb has to be a past participle.

For example, We have eaten. ('eaten' is a past participle)

eat ate eaten

Why didn't you say (not 'said') it earlier?

When we use "did' or "didn't", the following verb must be one in the simple present tense.

say said said