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My teacher said the second sentences below is wrong, but it looks grammatically correct to me. Help!

  1. I’m spending this weekend near the coast. I go there nearly every weekend.
  2. I spend this weekend near the coast. I go there nearly every weekend.

Same for these two below, the second one is wrong.

  1. He usually has coffee for breakfast, but today he’s having tea.
  2. He usually has coffee for breakfast, but today he has tea.
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    It is technically correct, but nobody uses that tense in those cases.
    – The Empty String Photographer
    Mar 6 at 14:21
  • @PlaceReporter99 No, it's grammatically incorrect to use the simple present there.
    – alphabet
    Mar 6 at 17:10
  • He usually does this, but today he does that. Makes sense, in that every day except that day, he does this. Otherwise, he does that. @alphabet
    – The Empty String Photographer
    Mar 6 at 17:29
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    @PlaceReporter99 That is only valid for some verbs and generally only applies to future events, not ongoing activities.
    – alphabet
    Mar 6 at 18:51
  • @PlaceReporter99 - It would only work in a story being told in the present tense (which is not the usual way).
    – Kate Bunting
    Mar 6 at 19:21

3 Answers 3

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I spend this weekend near the coast. I go there nearly every weekend (NO)

This weekend is a specific point of time, in this case it refers to the future. The continuous tense is also used for future plans or arrangements. The sentence above does not have the same meaning as:

I spend weekends near the coast. ✅
I spend the weekend near the coast. ✅

This is why the first sentences are correct

  • I’m spending this weekend near the coast. ✅ (an arrangement)
  • He usually has coffee for breakfast, but today he’s having tea. ✅ (plan)

Only “today” is he going to drink tea. (a specific period)

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  • 'He is having tea tomorrow' means that he has arranged to have tea tomorrow. 'He is going to have tea tomorrow' means that he has decided to have tea tomorrow.
    – Mohammad Farukh Ahmad
    Apr 18 at 7:46
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You can use the simple present to describe future scheduled events:

I leave for the coast on Friday.

You can also use it to describe habitual or recurring events:

I go to the coast every weekend.

But you cannot use it to describe ongoing activities. For that you need the present continuous:

I am spending this weekend on the coast.

There is one exception: the "historic present" used informally, when telling stories. For example:

So, here's what happened last week. I go to the coast on Friday, and I spend the weekend there...

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  • In both examples the present continuous can be used to express an event that has been planned. If today is Wednesday "this weekend" refers to a specific point in the future: "This weekend I am competing in a marathon." And "He usually drives to work but today he's going on foot" Does that mean he is walking at this very moment? Maybe. But it's more likely referring to an action that has been planned and is imminent.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Mar 8 at 6:04
  • @Mari-LouA You certainly can use either the present continuous or the simple present in those cases; my point is that in some circumstances only the former is acceptable.
    – alphabet
    Mar 8 at 6:57
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We can use the present continuous for the future.

I’m spending this weekend near the coast. (I have arranged to spend this weekend near the coast.)

Today he’s having tea. (Today he has arranged to have tea.)

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