Posts Tagged ‘verbs’

“It’s a tricky point, when to use simple present and when to use the progressive, especially as simple present rarely refers to present time. The Greenbelt

While the simple present refers to general truths that include the present moment, the present continuous emphasizes action in the present moment.

Here’s how you form it:

I am running.
You/We/They are running.
He/She/It is running.

I am not running.
You/We/They are not running.
He/She/It is not running.

Am I running?
Are you/we/they running?
Is he/she/it running?

While the simple present uses temporal references such as always, frequently, usually, often, or every month, the present continuous is more specific. It uses temporal references such as at the moment, now, today, this week, this month, tomorrow, next week (for future arrangements ), or currently.

The present continuous has three main uses:

1.  Speaking of something happening at the moment of speaking

What are you doing now?

I am calling in response to an brochure I received last week.

I am looking forward to taking on the lead role for the administration of the IOF system. (also I look forward to…)

Mrs Lo is not suffering from a psychiatric impairment arising from the motor vehicle accident.

Whose account are you working on?

2. Expressing actions happening in a period around the present moment especially when you want to emphasize the present moment

He’s spending the summer in Newfoundland.

I can return Lou’s call as soon as I’m finished writing this email. (or …as soon as I finish writing this email.)

I am including revised shipping instructions.

“Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on. “ Samuel Butler

“No good opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible.” W. H. Auden

“Success is blocked by concentrating on it and planning for it… Success is shy – it won’t come out while you’re watching.” Tennessee Williams

“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” George S. Patton

3. Describing future plans and arrangements

We’re having leftovers this evening.

What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?

She isn’t coming on Friday.

Conventional ways to use the present continuous in business writing include

describing current situations and ongoing projects

The Canadian economy is recovering.

We are updating our servers this quarter.

Ted Passmore and Charone Powell are transferring the files to a 30 gig drive, which we will ship to Mantor.

We are presently trying to determine how payroll burden should be applied to overtime hours.

I am writing in reply to your August 6 letter, in which you requested information about Policy 12965. (Extremely formal.)

To serve you better in the future, we are currently upgrading our system.

referring to temporary situations

We are offering a 20% discount this summer.

Able Airplanes is hiring engineers to help them build the six new jets ordered by the Ministry of Defense.

describing trends, developing situations, progress

The number of email users is growing every day.

These buyers are looking for a wide range of products that only a variety merchandise show such as the Canada’s Merchandise and Clearance Expo can provide.

I am in the process of completing the first document for the Windows 7 Menu/Policy project.

“God is a verb.” Buckminister Fuller

Verbs are our favourite part of speech. They are action words—the heartbeat of language.

In the business writing we review, we notice that many people overcomplicate or misuse verb tenses. The tense of a verb places the action at a particular time, and it’s important to be precise. To refresh your memory, here’s a review of the main tenses.

Simple Present: expresses daily habits or usual activities. I eat lunch.

Present Perfect: is used to describe an action that started in the past and continues to the present moment, or an action that was finished at some earlier time. I have eaten lunch.

Present Progressive: expresses an activity that is in progress right now.
I am eating lunch.

Simple Past: is used to refer to events that began and ended in the past.
I ate lunch.

Past Perfect: this is a double past tense—expressing an event that happened before another past event. I had already eaten lunch when I saw your invitation.

Past Progressive: expresses an activity that was in progress at a point of time in the past. I was eating lunch when you called.

Simple Future: expresses something that will happen in the future. I will eat lunch.

Future Perfect: expresses an action finished before a specific time in the future. By 2 pm, I will have eaten lunch.

Future Progressive: expresses something that will be in progress at a point of time in the future. I expect to be eating lunch when you call.