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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Prepositional phrase & simple tense & Action verbs

About to fall asleep, I close my eyes and start reflecting on my day's work.



1) how come this present tense verb in bold doesn't convey habituality as most simple present action verbs do?



2) Would you say the underlined prep. phrase is functioning adjectivally-- "I (who am) about to fall asleep, close my eyes..."



or



is functioning adverbially-- "When I am about to fall asleep, I close my eyes..."?

Thanks in advance
  

Top answer

" shows that a single occasion is being described. " would indicate habitual activity (though to me, still does not have exactly the traditional present-tense habitual sense of, say, "I eat meat" or "I get up early"; "close one's eyes" and "start verb-ing" do not admit that sense easily, if at all). 2) I'm not 100% sure, but to me it feels more adjectival.

— Mr Wordy

  • " shows that a single occasion is being described.
  • " would indicate habitual activity (though to me, still does not have exactly the traditional present-tense habitual sense of, say, "I eat meat" or "I get up early"; "close one's eyes" and "start verb-ing" do not admit that sense easily, if at all).
  • 2) I'm not 100% sure, but to me it feels more adjectival.
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1 Answers
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1) Because "About to fall asleep, ..." shows that a single occasion is being described. In contrast, "Whenever I'm about to fall asleep, I close my eyes ..." would indicate habitual activity (though to me, still does not have exactly the traditional present-tense habitual sense of, say, "I eat meat" or "I get up early"; "close one's eyes" and "start verb-ing" do not admit that sense easily, if at
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