Questions tagged [present-tense]
Present Tense uses the base form of a verb to describe current actions, events and states-of-being. Ex: I answer to no one.
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"Shop has been open all day/the whole day" " I have been awake all day/the whole day"
"Shop has been open all day/ the whole day (for the whole day).Does it mean shop is still open or shop has recently closed?
"I have been awake all day/the whole day(for the whole day)" ...
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past tense vs present
Why in this sentence "called" has been used instead of "call"? (I think it should be "call")
Someone close to you will try to tell you what to do, but it’s time you ...
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Present for a habit
I am asking you to sell me this record and I ask you this every year until you accept.
I am asking you to sell me this record and I will be asking you this every year until you accept .
I think both ...
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Ok to use simple present tense after now? | "Now, we look at one more."
A British speaker, who teaches English on youtube, is telling about some usages for socializing. He gives examples, tells about differences, etc. Before he moves on to another one, he says:
"Now, ...
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"Many English words ARE derived from French." VS "Many English words WERE derived from French." [closed]
In my native language, the translation of the following a- and b-variants has the same meaning.
Tell me please whether they have difference in English or not.
britannica.com:
(1a) Many English words ...
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I am requesting or I request Mr David to come on / up to the stage. Which expression is correct in the native context?
While inviting the guests to the stage, In India, it is usually said that now I request Mr David to come on to the stage. Some professors I know say that it should be come up to the stage.
My point is ...
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Use of tense in a completed project description
I am preparing a project portfolio for a job application in which I describe some of my completed projects in my current role. While the software is still in use today, the projects themselves are ...
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Can we use Present Perfect Tense for actions that happened years ago, but I want the listener to focus on the result that is still relevant?
Can we use Present Perfect Tense for actions that happened years ago, but I want the listener to focus on the result that is still relevant?
for the context, let’s say, I created a website a year ago....
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Has been vs has gone vs went
An example from Burlington English - Choose the correct answer
He has been/ has gone to the village to see his grandmother.
The correct answer is 'has gone.'
Why is 'has been' incorrect here ?
I know ...
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Using present tense with dates
I am translating an historical text with really simple language (from French into English) and they used the present tense, that I'd like to keep. But as I started translating I realised that I wasn't ...
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"He usually goes to school on time" or "He goes to school usually on time."
Which is the correct Sentence?
a) "He usually goes to school on time"
or
b) "He goes to school usually on time."
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How to use if clause with present perfect
If you have drunk too much milk, you might have been taller.
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
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Why is present tense used on past hobby
Gomez’s grandfather paints very well too but cannot do so now.
Why is “paints” used here and not painted? I thought it should be painted as the grandfather could not do it now. I thought his ability ...
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What does "It has to have been done" mean?
I was watching this clip. In the clip, they say that study has to have been done.
Here's the link to the video
I am a little confused. What does it mean? Does it mean something that happened in the ...
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He had problems reading without glasses. In the above sentence is 'reading' a present participle or a gerund in this sentence
He had problems reading without glasses.
In the above sentence is 'reading' a present participle or a gerund in this sentence.can anyone explain, please 🙏
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Present or future in this context?
Would it be possible to email me on a basis of every 2 months the latest records you have for sale .
I was wondering if I wrote "will have" instead of "have" what would be the ...
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What is the difference between "someone had dinner" and "someone has had dinner"?
Which one is correct?
The patient had dinner.
The patient has had dinner.
The patient has eaten dinner.
Have you had your dinner?
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Place of a time expression in a negative sentence
Is it possible to put the time expressions before or after the negative word?
Or is there only one way?
For example :
The students usually don't like eating fish
The students don't usually like eating ...
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Approaches or is approaching? [closed]
Apparently approaches is more used than ‘is approaching’.
Why?
In most cases approaching is a continuous action so ‘is approaching’ should be more common.
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anyone could guess you write/wrote/had written it
In a classroom, one student (A) to another (B):
A: I'm surprised! How did you know I wrote it on the board? (The writing is still there on the board)
B: It's pretty simple. Looking at the handwriting, ...
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By the time and When
By the time I arrived at the scene, the meeting had been over.
When I arrived at the scene, the meeting had been over.
Are the two sentences correct?
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'yesterday' in present tense
I understand that 'yesterday' talks about things in the past and usually uses past tense. However, I saw some sentences in present tense like
Yesterday is gone.
Yesterday is a history.
But I didn't ...
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What is the difference between “always tells” and “is always telling”?
I was doing Destination C1 and C2 grammar and vocabulary exercises when I came across this:
My dad ———————(always/tell) jokes, they’re mostly rubbish, though.
I thought the answer is "always ...
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What is the tense of this word and why?
The sentence:
You see, I have dumped my iPhone and bought myself an old-style, internet-free dumb phone (or “feature phone”, as the new branding would call it).
What is the tense of the word "...
Jaroslav Tavgen
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"it turns out" in the narration of a past event
Very often I see "it turns out" used in the description of a past event. One veteran user said "it turns out" is okay when we are describing a recent event. But can't it be used ...
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How to choose between "can" and "might" in "The service {can/might} be surly"
I'm learning modal verbs now using a grammar textbook. There are different topics. One of them is a topic about possibility. I went through the rules part and now I'm doing exercises after it where ...
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V+ing Vs. is v+ing? [closed]
What's the difference between those two sentences? Why don't they equal each other?
Robert is eating launch.
Robert eats launch.
Does one expresses continues action and the other don't?
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Is it natural to say "my electric bill is paid" when you are reporting a bill's status?
Can you please tell me if it's natura and correct to say my electric bill is paid when you are telling someone it's current status, not that it's regularly paid.
If doesn't sound natural, I would like ...
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Is this sentence, which mixes present and future tense, grammatically correct? ("Until the call to war resounds/when they shall face their bane")
Is the grammar in the third stanza valid or faulty? The preceding two stanzas are included only for context.
His hall has held the highest host
the dead in battle slain
Who dwell within to feast and ...
Ludvig Boysen
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Can you say someone "never [VERB]s" if they used to in the past?
If you say "never swears" as an example, can this include if someone has done it in the past but doesn’t do it consistently nor in recent time?
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Why using the past tense when one parent is dead but the children and the other parent are alive?
John met Mary in 2000. He died in 2023. They had three children.
Marc met Ann in 2001. He is alive. They have two children.
What are the grammatical reasons for the last verbs to be in past and ...
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I don't trust vs I'm not trusting
What's the difference between
I don't trust and I'm not trusting (anymore)
The present simple vs present continuous is obvious.
I just lack experience to build a number of examples with the continuous ...
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what tense to use when summarizing an episode of a TV show [closed]
I don't know whether to use present tense or past tense to make a summary of a TV show episode. MasterChef is an example
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Past Tense or Present Perfect [duplicate]
He placed an order OR He has placed an order. He has now be waiting for three weeks but no goods have arrived.
My question is: Does the first sentence denote the starting point of the following ...
Franziska
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If he loves God, he will sacrifice his son. - is this correct usage in a review article?
How do we use conditionals in a review of a story?
Example 1
God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son to test him. If Abraham loves God, he will sacrifice his son. And he is going to, so he loves God.
...
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What Is the Scope of the Past Perfect?
(Post copied, with minor alterations, from English Language & Usage on suggestion from a user.)
Recently, I’ve been editing a piece of writing written in first-person present tense. The narrator ...
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Present Continuous+never for emotional tone
As we know Present Continuous is used with always / constantly to express some emotional nuance (often negative).
e.g. My sister is always borrowing my clothes without asking!
Can we similarly use ...
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Difference between "I'm the one who..." and "I was the one who..."
Let's say I collected my mummy's money two hours ago and she asked this question:
"Who collected my money?"
Which would be the proper way to respond:
"I'm the one who collected the ...
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they thought it is or was important for the US to elect a woman president
Most Democratic voters in the state, 72 per cent, said they thought it is(was) important for the US to elect a woman president in their lifetimes, and that included roughly two-thirds of men.
What's ...
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Present Continuous expressing future
One of my grammar books says:
The future use of the present progressive is limited to actions brought about by human endeavour.
Therefore sentences such as "It's raining tomorrow" or "...
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When/After I am scolded by my mother, I go to bed and fall asleep late, usually past 10 p.m. - differences in meaning?
I understand "after" can express habitual or repetitive events, but I still feel like "after" is different from "whenever."
When "after" is used, it makes me ...
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Can we use “had” in present tense
I’ve got confused by this sentence from “A Study in Scarlet” by Arthur Conan Doyle:
“You had better clean it and load it. He will be a desperate man, and though I
shall take him unawares, it is as ...
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Is it correct to use the word 'made' in the present continuous or simple present tense?
I am studying the English tenses and came across the following quiz:
Fill in the correct verb form: PRESENT SIMPLE or PRESENT PROGRESSIVE.
The delicious chocolate is ____ by a firm in Switzerland. (...
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Combinig past and present tenses together
I've made a discovery that a phrase to be out of the question is an idiom, meaning to be an event that cannot possibly happen.
In a book (Charlotte Bronte - "Jane Eyre") I approached the ...
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use other tenses when talking about general truth? [duplicate]
I know that we should use present simple when talking about general truth like
The Sun rises in the east. However, if I add a time frame for it, will it still be used for present simple?
For example:
...
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When to use past tense after reported speech and when to use present tense after it? [duplicate]
He said that he had visited Paris last year.
She said that she is currently working on a new project.
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See and seeing with different implications
I am seeing my guitar teacher this Monday. (means that I have an
appointment)
What if I do it regularly. Should it be
I see my guitar teacher on Mondays. OR I am seeing my guitar
teacher on Mondays.
...
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Is "studying" correct in "The students studying the hardest…"?
I am an ESL teacher online and had this question from a student. She said she researched it and found one grammar site that said it was correct.
The students studying the hardest have the best ...
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Are the tenses well chosen?
Question to a seller over the phone 1
Could you let me know when this book will be in stock?
Answer
It will be in stock next Monday
So I will order it on Monday when it is in stock
Question to a ...
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"I (will) send the book on Monday so you (will) get it on Tuesday."
my sentences:
(1) I will send the book on Monday so you will get it on Tuesday.
(2) I will send the book on Monday so you get it on Tuesday.
(3) I send the book on Monday so you will get it on Tuesday....
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