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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

"They're showing us" vs "They show us"

I can see in a lot of places when someone is speaking or writing about something that was made some time ago. For example, a video was made some time ago, and a speaker is speaking about that video (video isn't running yet) and saying, "This time, they show us how to jump from a plane. Now, let's watch the footage." . Shouldn't it be, "This time, they're showing us how to jump from a plane. Now, let's watch the footage."?
  

Top answer

Hi. Present continuous describes an action in progress, so, you can use present continuous if you are at the middle of watching the video. Hamid

  • Hi.
  • Present continuous describes an action in progress, so, you can use present continuous if you are at the middle of watching the video.
  • Hamid
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3 Answers
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Hi.
Present continuous describes an action in progress, so, you can use present continuous if you are at the middle of watching the video.
Hamid
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This time, they show us how to jump from a plane.

The Simple Present here suggests that they have a habit or routine. of showing us things.
eg
last week, how to scuba-dive
this week, how to jump from a plane
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AnonymousThis time, they show us how to jump from a plane.
I consider this something like the use of the present to indicate the future, in the same family of expressions with This time I go to London; next time I go to Paris.

I wouldn't use 'are showing' here.

CJ

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