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Believer Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
subtle differences
Can you kindly tell me how they are different ?
1. He plays basketball.
He is playing basketball.
(Is that merely the second sentence has the verb tense that is part of the time frame that is being played out by the verb tense in the first sentence?)
2. It cries out in the night.
It cries out at night.
3. I think you convered this in the past but I am not sure.
Don't talk loud.
Don't talk aloud.
1. He plays basketball.
He is playing basketball.
(Is that merely the second sentence has the verb tense that is part of the time frame that is being played out by the verb tense in the first sentence?)
2. It cries out in the night.
It cries out at night.
3. I think you convered this in the past but I am not sure.
Don't talk loud.
Don't talk aloud.
Top answer
Hi, 1. He plays basketball. Refers to habit/routine, eg 'everyday'.
- Hi, 1.
- He plays basketball.
- Refers to habit/routine, eg 'everyday'.
- He is playing basketball.
- Refers to present duration, eg 'right now'.
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4 Answers
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Hi,
1. He plays basketball. Refers to habit/routine, eg 'everyday'.
He is playing basketball. Refers to present duration, eg 'right now'.
2. It cries out in the night. During the night. Sounds a bit literary.
It cries out at night. Treats night as a 'point during the 24 hou
1. He plays basketball. Refers to habit/routine, eg 'everyday'.
He is playing basketball. Refers to present duration, eg 'right now'.
2. It cries out in the night. During the night. Sounds a bit literary.
It cries out at night. Treats night as a 'point during the 24 hou
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1. He plays basketball. This sentence expresses an attribute -- he is a basketball-playing person. It is in the attributive aspect.
He is playing basketball. This sentence expresses an ongoing activity. It is said to be in the progressive aspect.
(Is that merely the second sentence has the verb tense that
He is playing basketball. This sentence expresses an ongoing activity. It is said to be in the progressive aspect.
(Is that merely the second sentence has the verb tense that
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Thank you.
So is it your educated opinion that when whenver we see a sentence is in the present tense, then we are seeing a sentence that is showing the attribute aspect and the whenver we see a sentence in the present progressive tense, then we are seeing a sentence exhibiting the progressive aspect?
Also, with all due respect, I have a little reservation about the word "audibl
So is it your educated opinion that when whenver we see a sentence is in the present tense, then we are seeing a sentence that is showing the attribute aspect and the whenver we see a sentence in the present progressive tense, then we are seeing a sentence exhibiting the progressive aspect?
Also, with all due respect, I have a little reservation about the word "audibl
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No, aspect and tense are independent. There is a very good discussion at http://www.uwm.edu/~noonan/403/CEG.V1.pdf . That pdf file is all of Volume 1 of Michael Noonan's A Course in English Grammar. Chapter Three cove
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