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  • I'm sitting waiting for a bus.
  • I sit waiting for a bus.

There is the situation that I'm sitting on a bench and I'm waiting for a bus in a bus station.

If I want to tell my friend that by a phone. I say "I sit waiting for a bus." It is right?

Somewhere, I have heard "I'm sitting waiting for a bus" means that I'm sitting up and down (it doesn't mean an exercise) while waiting a bus, as a bus has arrived. Therefore Someone tell me you would use I sit waiting for a bus.

Simply, I think I'm sitting + I'm waiting = I'm sitting waiting.

How are the two sentences different?

also

  • I sitting waiting for a bus.
  • I sitting and waiting for a bus.

differ?

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  • I'm curious; where did you hear that "I'm sitting waiting for the bus." means "I'm sitting up and down waiting for the bus."? There's "I'm sitting up." which implies "I was previously laying down", and there's "I'm sitting down." which implies "I was previously standing". I've never heard those to be implied in "I'm sitting [verb]ing...".
    – Tory
    Aug 29, 2014 at 14:12
  • What you were told about to be sitting implying repeated performing the action of adopting a seated position is simply incorrect. Aug 29, 2014 at 14:12

1 Answer 1

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In this case the am is required, as it shows that you are in the process of sitting and waiting for the bus.

I am sitting, waiting for the bus

The sentence is made up of two clauses:

I am sitting, waiting for the bus

or

I am sitting and waiting for the bus

Both are equally acceptable as it is a matter of connecting two seperate clauses, either by means of a , or an and.

On the matter of your use of

I sit waiting for a bus

it is not incorrect, per se, but it wouldn't be used by a native speaker; it is passive, and one expects a while after it, and for it to be written not spoken. Instead I would suggest:

I'm waiting for the bus

simply for authenticity.

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    Great answer. I'd just like to add, the two sentences could also be joined with an adverb or prepositional phrase, too, such as: "I'm sitting here waiting for a bus", or "I'm sitting on a bench waiting for a bus."
    – J.R.
    Aug 29, 2014 at 15:44
  • @J.R. - but why "I sit waiting for a bus" is passive? Jan 15, 2016 at 8:34

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