present simple or continuous tense

Question

"Large areas are being afforested each year"
This is an example for the word afforest in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. I don't understand why they use the present continuous tense. With the phrase "each year", I think it's the present simple tense which is correct. Am I right?

Rover_KE · Accepted Answer

Both tenses are correct.

The meaning is the same.

Rover

Surfer · Answer

tmnt53 I don't understand why they use the present continuous tense.

I guess it's to stress the currentness/continuity of the ongoing fact.

tmnt53With the phrase "each year", I think it's the present simple tense which is correct. Am I right?

Both are correct.

Tmnt53 · Answer

thanks a lot

CalifJim · Answer

tmnt53I think it's the present simple tense which is correct.

Both are correct, but — to my ear, at least — are afforested each year seems more like there is an annual afforestation project that takes place all at once, always in September perhaps, while the continuous tense gives more of the impression that afforestation is going on continuously throughout the entire year each year.

CJ

present simple or continuous tense

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