Present Tenses - At the Moment

At the Moment

Indicating temporary activities

Personal profiles, often seen in introductory letters and in blogs, use both present and present progressive.

Activities "at the moment" use present progressive and are mostly temporary.
Descriptions of the person's character, appearance a and habits use the present tense (non-progressive).

My name is Isabela Paras. I am a mother, a student and a nurse. I am married and have one child. Currently, I am working to get my nursing certification. Also, I am taking classes online to improve my use of English. I am trying to get rid of simple grammar mistakes so that I can communicate with my co-workers more effectively. I am taking a grammar course and a speech course at the College of San Mateo.

Elena
At night, I work at Children's Hospital in Oakland. I am having difficulty balancing my work, study and home schedules, but I hope I can get through this period. I know that I will need to have a good education to get a better job and have a more successful life.

Present Progressive vs. Present Nonprogressive

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE	PRESENT
Use the present progressive for an action that is ongoing and temporary, exists now, but will change in the future. It is not the usual state.	Use the present tense for an action that is enduring or permanent, exists always, usually, or habitually; it exists now, has existed in the past and will probably exist in the future.
I am working to get my nursing certification.	My name is Isabela. (100% permanent)
I am trying to get rid of simple grammar mistakes.	I am a mother. (99% permanent)
I am taking a grammar course.	I am married. (50% permanent)
I am having difficulty.	I work at Children's Hospital in Oakland. (?% permanent)

Adverbs that tell us – When

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE – TEMPORARY		PRESENT – (MORE) PERMANENT
Adverbs for the present progressive indicate a more temporary state, at the moment of speaking. With a larger range of time, for example this month, the focus is still on the present time period not any amount of time that has passed.		Adverbs for the present tense indicate a more permanent state and tell how often an activity occurs or is repeated.
NOW at the moment	THIS ... today / tonight	GENERAL TRUTH general truth (Adverbs are rarely used.)	FREQUENCY always (routinely, customarily, normally, as a rule, in general)
now (for now, just now)	this morning		usually (most of the time)
currently	this week	EVERY ...	often (frequently, half of the time)
presently	this month	every day (night, week, month, year, etc.)	sometimes (occasionally, on occasion)
for a little while	this semester	each day (night, week, month, year, etc.)	rarely (seldom, hardly ever)
as we speak	this year	every other day (night, week, year, etc.)	never (not ever)
		most weekends (nights, weeks, months, etc.)	*See Adverbs of Frequency

Common Mistakes

ERRORS	FIXES
I apply to attend college this semester. (this semester is temporary.)	I am applying to attend college this semester.
Just for now, I take the bus to work. (Just for now is temporary.)	Just for now, I am taking the bus to work.
I study English in the College of San Mateo. (The activity is temporary.)	I am studying English in the College of San Mateo.
Hurry up! I wait for you. (The activity is temporary.)	Hurry up! I am waiting for you.

Present Progressive

Word Order

SUBJECT	AUXILIARY VERB	SUBJECT	MAIN VERB	REST OF SENTENCE	CLAUSE
STATEMENT		I	am working	as a nurse.
		Isabela	is working	as a nurse.
		Isabela and her friend	are studying	together.
QUESTION	Am	I	working	tonight?
	Is	Isabela	working	tonight?
	Are	Isabela and her friend	studying	tonight?
*TAG QUESTION		I	am working	tonight,	aren't I?
		Isabela	is working	tonight,	isn't she?
		Isabela and her friend	are studying	tonight.	aren't they?
NEGATIVE I	am not		working	tonight.
Isabela	isn't (not)		working	tonight.
Isabela and her friend	aren't (not)		studying	together.
EMPHASIS I	am		working	with her.
Isabela	is		working	tonight.
Isabela and her friend	are		studying	together.

*A tag question can also occur with a negative main sentence and a positive final question: They don't plant in the spring, do they? See And so / too.
Use emphasis word order when contradicting or stating that the opposite is true: "I think Isabela isn't working tonight." "No, she is working tonight."

Sentence Diagrams of Present Progressive

Related page: 3rd Person Agreement.

Sentence Structure

Diagrams

Traditional vs. Modern Sentence Diagramming

TRADITIONAL SYSTEM	CURRENT LINGUISTIC SYSTEM
For some language learners, it is helpful to see the parts of a sentence. The Reed-Kellogg system diagrams a sentence on a horizontal line. Subject: article: the, noun: wind \| Predicate: verb: is \ adjective: strong	The tree diagram (linguistics) separates the parts of a sentence with brackets /\ . Clause; Subject / Predicate; NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; auxiilary. – gerund-participle; prounoun
	Click the diagram to enlarge it.

TRADITIONAL SYSTEM

CURRENT LINGUISTIC SYSTEM

For some language learners, it is helpful to see the parts of a sentence. The Reed-Kellogg system diagrams a sentence on a horizontal line. Subject: article: the, noun: wind | Predicate: verb: is \ adjective: strong

The tree diagram (linguistics) separates the parts of a sentence with brackets /\ . Clause; Subject / Predicate; NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; auxiilary. – gerund-participle; prounoun

Click the diagram to enlarge it.

Resources – Works Cited

Practice 1

An Introduction

Select the response from the menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

YOUR RESPONSE	ANSWERS
My name George. I from Greece. I in the U. S. to improve my English. I at a community college this semester. For now, I three classes. I to add one more class. Currently, in my English class, we how to "blog" on the Internet. At the same time, I my typing skills. Compare your answers.	My name George. I from Greece. I in the U. S. to improve my English. I at a community college this semester. I three classes. I to add one more class. Currently, in my English class, we how to "blog" on the Internet. At the same time, I my typing skills.
	Text View of Answers

YOUR RESPONSE

ANSWERS

My name George. I from Greece. I in the U. S. to improve my English. I at a community college this semester. For now, I three classes. I to add one more class. Currently, in my English class, we how to "blog" on the Internet. At the same time, I my typing skills.

Compare your answers.

My name George. I from Greece. I in the U. S. to improve my English. I at a community college this semester. I three classes. I to add one more class. Currently, in my English class, we how to "blog" on the Internet. At the same time, I my typing skills.

Text View of Answers

Practice 2

Asking About Current Activities

Select the response from the menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	QUESTION	YOUR RESPONSE
9.	— What are you doing in school? — I several subjects.
10.	— Do you like your classes? — Yes, I most of them!"
11.	— How about you? What now?"
12.	— Are you from around here? Where ?" — In Athens, Greece. (For questions about permanent residence, the response usually states the city and country.)
13.	Where now? — In San Mateo on Main Street (For questions about temporary residence, the response usually states the area and or street.)
14.	— I have to go now. Oh look. . — Yes, I see.
15.	I'm glad I my umbrella today. Goodbye.

Answers 1

Text View

My name is George . I am from Greece. I am in the U. S. to improve my English. I am studying at a community college this semester. I am taking three classes. I am planning to add one more class. Currently, in my English class, we are leaning how to maintain a "blog" on the Internet. At the same time, I am improving my typing skills!

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