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Questions tagged [present-tense]

The present tense is a grammatical tense that locates a situation or event in present time.

The present tense is a grammatical tense that locates a situation or event in present time.

In English, present tense form may be used to express action in the present, a current state of being, an occurrence in the future, or an action that started in the past and continues.

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Grammaticalization of third person singular -s

Is there any evidence that the third person singular -s can be traced back to a lexical item before it became an inflection ? I am trying to see if the theory of grammaticalization applies to its diachronic process. Any information would be most…
marta
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"Why aren't you listening to me?" versus "Why don't you listen to me?"

What should I use, "Why aren't you listening to me?" or "Why don't you listen to me?" Example: I'm chatting with my friend, who seems to just ignore some issues: Bill, why aren't you listening to me, when I tell you about my problem?
Alex Ya
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When should I use "is" and when "are"?

Which of these are correct? All I see is iPhones. All I see are iPhones. I've seen Rihanna wrote: All I see is Signs. Some people use are like: All I see are Cliffs. Could someone explain when to use "is" and when "are"?
Finn
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Non-progressive eventive sentences in the present tense

When using a non-progressive eventive sentence in the present tense, it typically cannot describe a particular event: it often describes a habit or a generalization. E.g. if one says "John smokes a pipe", the listener would understand that this is a…
Franck Dernoncourt
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Why is it "says" not "said"?

The job of a student leader is onerous, he says, and you can become overwhelmed by the responsibilities and workload. “So you must set up an action framework, and follow it through,” he advises. Above is an article, the interviewee was interviewed…
FurbyLove
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In present-tense narrative, does "I spend the NEXT few hours..." make sense?

I'm writing a novel in present-tense. If all the actions are in the present-tense, e.g. as the character is experiencing them, does the phrase, "I spend the next few hours pondering about it" make sense then? Doesn't it seem like a flashback…
user145875
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Using "since" + year/date with the present simple

Is it ever acceptable to use the present simple in a sentence with "since [year/date]"? For example: "Since 2012, environmental regulations have to be evaluated every three years." "Since January 2022, mandatory guidelines require the use of…
Joël G.
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Anything wrong with bar girl english?

I find teaching a new (young Thai) english conversation learner something like "he no like teacher" vastly easier than "he doesn't like his teacher" because that click of understanding and satisfaction comes much more easily. Of course to grammar…
dick
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A strange use instance of Present Simple in a sentence

I'm reading an article in the NYT. And it has the next paragraph: I watched Abraham interview half a dozen deportees. What he said was true: They were like him. To a middle-­aged farmer who had three daughters in the United States and was on his…
d.k
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Does this excerpt from a textbook describes the Present Indefinite in case of performatives?

The examples are from the book "A Grammar of Present-day English" by I. Krylova and E. Gordon. "I repeat, the girl has been extremely impertinent," he said. You leave me no choice. I swear it to you! I refuse to listen to you. You talk such…
Kifsif
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Use of present simple in "I wonder what he does all day long?"

Consider the sentence (which may in speech either be modulated to indicate an invitation to reply, signified here by the question mark, or not): "I wonder what he does all day long?" The sentence sounds totally idiomatic. I don't really understand…
Andrey Radkevich
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Present simple or present continuous - I'm on the bus

Present simple or present continuous? What tense are the following sentences? " I have a headache","he is on the bus",she is at work",he is tired",she is at the shop","I feel good".All these sentences describes something what is happening right now,…
Santa Roberts
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“I am not going to use it recently” Is this technically correct?

I want to say I'm not going to use something in the recent future. Can I say it like “I am not going to use it recently”?
Techefy
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Could you please explain to me which answer is correct and why?

She is really a good friend and she ........... to send me a letter each month . ( never failed / never fails ) Does " each " here refer to the present simple or the past simple ?
Sherif
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Different meaning according to present tense

What's the difference in meaning between: I really enjoy working here vs. I am really enjoying working here? Note: Example taken from Advanced Language Practice with Key by Michael Vince with Peter Sunderland, Present Time, exercise 5 c).
miki
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