Sunday, March 27, 2011

Uses of the simple present tense

Dynamic verbs
With dynamic verbs (i.e., verbs that describe actions and events), the simple present tense normally has a habitual meaning so can be used with adverbials such as every day and often.
The Sun rises in the east (every day).
To talk about an event that is happening right now, you need to use the progressive -ing form of the verb instead.
The Sun is rising (right now).

Stative verbs
With stative verbs (i.e., verbs that describe states and relations), the simple present tense can't be used with a habitual meaning. Instead, it indicates a state or relation that holds in the present, much as the progressive -ing form is used to indicate the present with dynamic verbs.
I like/love/want/need you.
I come from Berlin.
Stative verbs do not always have a progressive -ing form. When they do, it often forces a dynamic meaning.
WRONG: I am coming from Berlin. [come from in the sense of where a person grew up]
RIGHT: I am coming home (right now). [come in the sense of moving towards]
The place a person comes from is not something that can change, but for states that are changeable such as where a person lives, an -ing form can sometimes be used, particularly when the state is new or likely to change soon:
I live in Berlin. [no comment about how permanent this is]
I am living in Berlin. [suggests that the speaker has moved to Berlin recently or that they might not stay there]
Some other examples of stative verbs are believe, know, agree, appear, seem, contain, include, consist, exist, belong and cost.

No comments:

Post a Comment