Events

Question

The simple tenses are used for events which are immediate facts (or strong predictions in the future), complete or unchanging.

https://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/tenses/

What does "event" mean in "events which are immediate..."?

GPY · Accepted Answer

An "event" is basically anything that happens.

CalifJim · Answer

JigneshbharatiThe simple tenses are used for events which are immediate facts (or strong predictions in the future), complete or unchanging.

This has to be the weirdest description of the use of the present tense that I have ever seen.

"events which are facts"? I wonder what they mean by that. Can an event even be a fact? The expression "immediate fact" is also troubling.

I think they're trying to say "situations which are occurring (i.e., 'in effect', 'in force') at the present moment".

If you open their page on the present tense, you see no examples that can be described as "events which are immediate facts". You have 'general principle', 'opinion', 'results of an experiment', and so on. You even have 'fact', exemplified by "Talent shows are exciting", but the fact that these shows are exciting is not an event any more or less than the other examples are.

I'd say you'd best be careful with what you read on that site. In my opinion they're playing fast and loose with language.

CJ

Events

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions