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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Simple present tense--Habituality
As I'm looking for last minute deals to Europe, I just realize that my kids' passports will expire in Oct. I was thinking about France which ...
As I look out the window, I see a ...
Can some explain the use of the simple present here please?
Action verbs, also called normal verbs, express habituality in the present simple, but these seem to be exceptions. Can someone please explain?
As I look out the window, I see a ...
Can some explain the use of the simple present here please?
Action verbs, also called normal verbs, express habituality in the present simple, but these seem to be exceptions. Can someone please explain?
Top answer
Hi, Your brief text suggests to me that the writer may be telling a story. Is that possible in your context? eg I go into the room quickly.
- Hi, Your brief text suggests to me that the writer may be telling a story.
- Is that possible in your context?
- eg I go into the room quickly.
- I realize that the man by the sofa has a gun.
- I shoot.
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8 Answers
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Hi,
Your brief text suggests to me that the writer may be telling a story. Is that possible in your context?
eg I go into the room quickly. I realize that the man by the sofa has a gun. I shoot. He drops it and falls.
The Simple Present is often used in this way.
Clive
Your brief text suggests to me that the writer may be telling a story. Is that possible in your context?
eg I go into the room quickly. I realize that the man by the sofa has a gun. I shoot. He drops it and falls.
The Simple Present is often used in this way.
Clive
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CliveIs that possible in your context?
It's not my context, sorry.
CliveThe Simple Present is often used in this waySo when telling a story, can we use the simple present for dynamic verbs without expressing habituality?
00
Yes, it pulls the reader/listener into the action with us.
In fact, when telling a story, we often switch all over the place in tenses.
I opened the door. Suddenly, I am face-to-face with the one-armed man who kidnapped my hamster! I froze, not sure what to say. I realize he's actually the guy from the vet's office. He gave me back little Louis.
However, in a normal d
In fact, when telling a story, we often switch all over the place in tenses.
I opened the door. Suddenly, I am face-to-face with the one-armed man who kidnapped my hamster! I froze, not sure what to say. I realize he's actually the guy from the vet's office. He gave me back little Louis.
However, in a normal d
00
OK, thanks. So just to confirm...
When we are not telling a story, dynamic (normal) verbs in the simple present express habituality. But when we are telling a story, these verbs can actually be used to say what is happenning at the moment of reading, bringing the listener into the action.
Is this right?
When we are not telling a story, dynamic (normal) verbs in the simple present express habituality. But when we are telling a story, these verbs can actually be used to say what is happenning at the moment of reading, bringing the listener into the action.
Is this right?
00
Hi,
So just to confirm...
When we are not telling a story, dynamic (normal) verbs in the simple present express habituality.
That's one thing they do. I have listed others below.
But when we are telling a story, these verbs can actually be used to say what is happenning at the moment of reading, bringing the listener into the action. Yes.
So just to confirm...
When we are not telling a story, dynamic (normal) verbs in the simple present express habituality.
That's one thing they do. I have listed others below.
But when we are telling a story, these verbs can actually be used to say what is happenning at the moment of reading, bringing the listener into the action. Yes.
00
Thanks, Clive. I suppose these two sort of overlap, don't they... One just involves a time aspect.
Clive
After 'when', to form a time clause When it rains, I get wet.CliveTo denote truths of various kinds
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And why is it that the discussion I have read on the uses of the present simple neglect to explain that in story writing, dynamic verbs can be used in the present simple not to express habituality but rather to express what is happening at the moment of utterance, much like how stative verbs, commonly known as non-continuous verbs, function in the present simple in both story writing and in norma
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Hi,
And why is it that the discussion I have read on the uses of the present simple neglect to explain that in story writing, dynamic verbs can be used in the present simple not to express habituality but rather to express what is happening at the moment of utterance, much like how stative verbs, commonly known as non-continuous verbs, function in the present simple in both story writin
And why is it that the discussion I have read on the uses of the present simple neglect to explain that in story writing, dynamic verbs can be used in the present simple not to express habituality but rather to express what is happening at the moment of utterance, much like how stative verbs, commonly known as non-continuous verbs, function in the present simple in both story writin
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