Possible to use different tenses?

Question

Hi teachers,Context:A: Your train departs from platform eight.Question:Where is his train leaving from?It's leaving from platform eight.My questions:a) Would that question be appropriate in order to have a win-win situation for the students. They practice both tenses.b) Can the question be in the present progressive and the sentence from the text is in the simple present?c) Do I have to use only the simple present for my question because that's the one in the original sentence?Thanks in advance.

Ozzourti · Accepted Answer

I suggest that you stick to one tense throughout unless you provide a broader context. For example:

Context:
Train A (usually) departs from platform eight.
Today is Friday and John is already inside the train. It is departing.

Question:
Where is his train leaving from? or better yet, Which platform is his train leaving from?

Answer:
It's leaving from platform eight.

Of course the present progressive tense can also be used to talk about the immediate future, depending on context.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Hi ozzourti,
Thanks for your reply.
In your opinion, it would be less confusing if the students were asked to frame questions and answers using the tense used in the original text. Right?
Another context:
At the station, Peter buys a train ticket to London.
It will be better to ask to the students:
What does Peter do at the station?
Than:
What’s Peter doing at the station?
Am I right?

Of course the present progressive tense can also be used to talk about the immediate future, depending on context.

That's not mi intention in that question.

TL

Ozzourti · Answer

I think there's a conflict between what I would call the narrative present and the "actual" (for lack of a better word) present.

At the station, Peter buys a train ticket to London. is fine in the narrative mode.

The problem arises when we ask the question What does Peter do at the station?, as taken out of context it could well refer to a habitual action.

With that being said, I still suggest that you pick one tense and stick to it.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

ozzourtiAt the station, Peter buys a train ticket to London. is fine in the narrative mode.The problem arises when we ask the question What does Peter do at the station?, as taken out of context it could well refer to a habitual action.

Hi ozzourti,
Thanks for your reply. That is the reason for which I was asking if the present progressive was possible.

ozzourtiWith that being said, I still suggest that you pick one tense and stick to it.

I appreciate your suggestion.

TL

CalifJim · Answer

Tenacious LearnerWould that question be appropriate ...

It would be to me.

Tenacious LearnerCan the question be in the present progressive and the sentence from the text is be in the simple present?

Yes. It happens thousands of times in ordinary conversations.

Tenacious LearnerDo I have to use only the simple present for my question because that's the one in the original sentence?

No. Both the simple present and the present continuous can suggest the future.

— Aren't you going to Chicago next Thursday?
— Yes. I leave at 6 in the morning.

CJ

Tenacious Learner · Answer

CalifJimIt would be to me.

Hi Jim,
Thanks a lot for for your help. Then, if the question is in the present continuous indicating that something is happening at the moment of speaking is not possible, It's indicating future in the following situation. Right?
Context:
A: Your train departs from platform eight.
Question:
Where is his train leaving in ten minutes from?
It's leaving from platform eight.

Tenacious LearnerCan the question be in the present progressive and the sentence from the text be in the simple present? CalifJimYes. It happens thousands of times in ordinary conversations.

So, I can mix those tenses without any problem, as I've said in order to have a win-win situation for the students. They practice both tenses; despite what the tense is in the the source material.

Tenacious Learner: Do I have to use only the simple present for my question because that's the one in the original sentence? CalifJim: Both the simple present and the present continuous can suggest the future.— Aren't you going to Chicago next Thursday?— Yes. I leave at 6 in the morning.

My idea was not to use those tenses as future. Though they perfectly work in that situation.

TL

Ozzourti · Answer

CalifJimNo. Both the simple present and the present continuous can suggest the future.

Yes, but I don't think that the present simple tense in Tenacious Learner's second example can suggest the future in any way.

What is Peter doing at the station? is a perfectly valid question but I, for one, would prefer for the original sentence to be written in the continuous tense as well. Perhaps the choice of the verb is unfortunate here because "buying" is a relatively short process, so when I hear At the station, Peter buys a train ticket to London., I instantly picture said ticket already being in Peter's possession. So what is he really doing at the station now? Maybe I'm just imagining this but I don't know... The change from the present simple to the present continuous in the train example is much more acceptable in my book since both the original sentence and the question may point to the future but in the second case (where both tenses seem to refer to the present) I'm not so happy with it...

CalifJim · Answer

ozzourtiYes, but I don't think that the present simple tense in Tenacious Learner's second example can suggest the future in any way.

Right. I haven't gotten that far yet.

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

Tenacious LearnerThen, if the question is in the present continuous indicating that something is happening at the moment of speaking is not possible, It's indicating future in the following situation. Right?

Not in the general case, no. It could be a faulty use of the present continuous that cannot be interpreted as correct for either the present of the future. He is having two brothers, for example is not something that is happening (There is no action), but it doesn't indicate the future either. It's just bad grammar.

Tenacious LearnerA: Your train departs from platform eight.Question:Where is his train leaving from in ten minutes ~~from~~? It's leaving from platform eight.

This is OK.

Tenacious LearnerSo, I can mix those tenses without any problem

Not "without anyproblem". You have to use verbs for which this kind of tense mixing is appropriate. And I don't have a list. It's a case by case situation, unfortunately, though I suspect it's the verbs of motion that allow more mixing.

Tenacious LearnerMy idea was not to use those tenses as future.

Hmm. I can't see how else they would work.

A: Your train departs from platform eight. (Does not mean it is departing now. This is a scheduled departure for the future.)
...
Where is his train leaving from? (Does not mean it is leaving now because it's referring back to statement A, which gave a scheduled departure time.)
It's leaving from platform eight. (As in the previous line.)

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

Tenacious LearnerAnother context:At the station, Peter buys a train ticket to London. It will be better to ask to the students:What does Peter do at the station?Than:What’s Peter doing at the station?Am I right?

The original context is ambiguous here.

1) You're describing a process that Peter does every time he travels to London.

At the station Peter (always) buys a train ticket to London (when he wants to go to England).

2) You're describing what you want your listener to suppose Peter is doing now, almost as if you are setting up a math problem.

At the station Peter buys a train ticket to London. He spends $50. York is twice as far. How much does he spend for a ticket to York?

I think this second meaning is what most textbooks use. They are setting up a situation more than actually imparting any real information.

If you want the answer "He buys a train ticket to London", you ask "What does he do?"
If you want the answer "He is buying a train ticket to London", you ask "What is he doing?"

But "He buys a train ticket to London" doesn't really show him doing anything in real time.

CJ

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