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Taka Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Leave/go

What is the difference between the two below?

I leave/go now.
I'm leaving/going now.
  

Top answer

The versions with the progressive are far more likely.

  • The versions with the progressive are far more likely.
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14 Answers
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The versions with the progressive are far more likely.
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There is no difference in meaning?
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As 'now' in this sentence suggests 'at this moment, then it is difficult to think of contexts in which the present simple could be natural.
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Then what about these?

Let's go/leave now.
Let's be going/be leaving now.
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TakaThen what about these?Let's go/leave now.Let's be going/be leaving now.
The non-progressive bare infinitive is probably more likely.

In this utterance "now" is probably marginally less immediate. - ''let's" tells us that the going/leaving' is not happening at the moment of speaking.
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Related question.

Do you think these are exactly the same in meaning?

The train is leaving this station at 6 p.m.
The train leaves this station at 6 p.m.
The train will leave this station at 6 p.m.
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TakaRelated question. Do you think these are exactly the same in meaning?The train is leaving this station at 6 p.m.The train leaves this station at 6 p.m.The train will leave this station at 6 p.m.
No, they do not have exactly the same meaning, although they refer to exactly the same situation.
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Then could you kindly explain what the difference is?
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Generally speaking, when talking about future situations:

the present simple is used for scheduled situations,
the present progressive is used for situations for which some arrangement has been made;
BE going to is used for situations for which there is present evidence;
will is used to express the speaker's certainty and/or volition.

The choice of which
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"I leave now." sounds like something a king or emperor would say.

"I go now." sounds like something a 19th century general would say.

"I'm leaving now." is what someone would say today. A man would tend to say this more than a woman.

"I'm going now." is also what someone would say today. A woman would tend to say this more than a man.

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