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Learning Article : What’s Wrong With Present Actions?

Discuss the Article : What’s Wrong With Present Actions?

<a href='/article/615/whats-wrong-with-present-actions' target='_blank'>What’s Wrong With Present Actions?</a>

Have you had a conversation where someone asks you "What are you doing?" and you respond with "I eat" or "I go home", only to get a frustrated response? In English, the conjugation of verbs to reflect time is quite unique and may be difficult to simply memorize. Rather than rote memorization, let's go over and understand the small changes that make the biggest differences when composing a sentence in English.

Dec 14, 2015 12:00 AM
Comments · 17
4

Andrey, that's a good question! We tend to use the present perfect for events that have happened for periods of time that have not finished, which are still in the past.


For example, "I have eaten today / this week / the year"

 

but; "I ate yesterday / last week / in 2012"

 

More to come in a future article!

 

Laura, what Michael says is quite correct. There is a slight difference in meaning though:


"we're seeing each other later" = "We've spoken about it and arranged it in advance"

"we will see each other later" = "I promise I will make it happen" or "I predict it will happen" 

 

Last but not least, Hélio, we know that the someone is writing a book at this stage of their live. This does not mean necesarily that they are writing this very second, it could be a project which is on-going and is not finished yet. 

December 26, 2015
2

Thank you for the article, it is very interesting!

 

You said:


We see each other later.*

Instead, the correct option is:

We’re seeing each other later.

 

WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER LATER, would it be correct?

December 22, 2015
1

In response to Laura, your alternative option would also be correct.  When the present continuous is used for planned events in the near future, the future simple is also possible, though the former would often sound more less formal.

December 22, 2015
1

You're very welcome! Thanks for the feedback.

December 17, 2015
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