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At the Moment

Indicating temporary activities

 

 

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

labels
The wind blows

The wind blows

Click the diagram to enlarge it.

 

 

Resources – Works Cited 

 

 

 

 

GeorgePractice 1

An Introduction

 

 

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

             

  

           

 

  

 

       Text View of Answers

 

 

 

 

 

 

students talkingPractice 2

Asking About Current Activities

 

 

 

  1. Select the response from the menu that best completes the sentence.
  2. 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

 

10. — Do you like your classes?

 

11. — How about you?    
12. — Are you from around here? Where  — In Athens, Greece.   (For questions about permanent residence, the response usually states the  city and country.)  
13.  

— In San Mateo on Main Street   (For questions about temporary residence, the response usually states the  area and or street.)
 
14. — 

— Yes, I see.
 
15.   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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