Task: Underline the present simple / continuous verb errors in the text.

I had to look into the solution and still did not understand the errors. Can someone help me? It also has to do something with action and state verbs[Image]

Question

Task: Underline the present simple / continuous verb errors in the text.

I had to look into the solution and still did not understand the errors. Can someone help me? It also has to do something with action and state verbs[Image]

Answer

Stative verbs (states of mind) are generally not used in progressive tenses. Examples are imagine, wonder, etc. That means we don't put them in the verb+ing form.  Some verbs like think can be both stative and active, for example if I am thinking (cognitive action) about something in the present moment.

For active verbs acting in this moment, use the present continuous tense.  For facts, routines, and habits, use the simple present.

Here are the corrections to your writing (in order).
I'm having
I imagine
I don't mean
I have been settling in 
I seem to
I'm also thinking of
Someone is knocking
is having a party
I expect
I'm considering

Learn more about stative verbs here:  https://www.usinggrammar.com/english-grammar/list-of-stative-verbs.php

Answer

These are difficult concepts to fully understand. I will try to explain but I'm not sure if I will be successful:

1) "imagining": "imagine" is a better fit here. With words like "imagine", "think", "mean", "expect"  followed by a clause (subject > verb), we usually use the present tense. 
So: "I imagine / think / mean / expect  that I will try again tomorrow."

2) "meaning" This is like in 1). You write, "Well, perhaps I'm not meaning that exactly." "That" in this sentence refers to "I'm beginning to feel lonely." So it's the same pattern: "I don't mean that (I feel lonely) exactly."

3) "settle" Here "am settling" fits better. It's an action that still continues. If you say "I settle ..." it sounds like a habitual action, like "I drink a glass of milk before I go to bed." But if you're still doing it, you say, "I'm drinking a glass of milk."

4) "seeming" This should be "I seem" because similar to 1) it's setting up the next verb: "I seem to be spending" or "I seem to spend". And it's a habitual action: you ride the bus often.

5) "think of" Here, "I'm thinking of" is right. Why? Isn't it setting up the next verb: "moving" like in 1)? Haha, yes, but "of moving" is continuous so "I think of moving" sounds like a habitual action, something you do often. But in fact, it's something you continue to do: you are still thinking of moving. If you said, "I think I'll move nearer to college" that would be fine.

6) "knocks" If you were writing it while it happened, you would say, "someone is knocking." But if you wrote after the interruption was over, you'd write, "someone knocked." "Someone knocks" is a habitual action – not what you were describing here.

7) "has a party" Again, "has a party" sounds habitual, like she has one every weekend. But you are talking about one party, so even if it's in the future, you should say, "is having a party."

8) "expecting" This is exactly like 1): it should be "I expect you'll get..."

Answer

Es geht hier hauptsächlich darum das du das present participle falsch benutzt. (Benutzt man meistens bei einer „Sinneswahrnehmung“ ) https://www.ego4u.de/de/cram-up/grammar/participles

Kannst hier gerne nochmal alle regeln durchlesen ☺️

Answer

Hey Alina

Wow there’s actually a lot to understand behind these topics ! It makes sense why the errors are so difficult to identify and also to understand ! I’d love to help you out and there’s so much to say 😂 Feel free to message me so I can tell you more about using verbs in tenses + spotting the errors ☺️

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