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Jigneshbharati Posted 8 years ago
Grammar
They're usually referring to
When wildlife biologists talk about moles, they’re usually referring to the tiny, gray rodents that dig underground to find delicious earthworms. But when chemists talk about moles, they’re usually referring to a scientific term. The term ‘mole’ represents a number, in the same way the word ‘dozen’ represents 12 of something. In this case, one mole represents the enormous (and slightly strange) number, 6.02 x 1023.
https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Chemistry/1/The-Mole-and-Atomic-Mass/53
Please explain the use of present progressive in "they are usually referring to..."
why can't we use present simple "they usually refer to...
https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Chemistry/1/The-Mole-and-Atomic-Mass/53
Please explain the use of present progressive in "they are usually referring to..."
why can't we use present simple "they usually refer to...
Top answer
The progressive tense is better here because "referring" happens concurrently with "talk" (rather than subsequent to it or as a result of it). As a related example, compare: When the telephone rang I ignored it. When the telephone rang I was having dinner.
- The progressive tense is better here because "referring" happens concurrently with "talk" (rather than subsequent to it or as a result of it).
- As a related example, compare: When the telephone rang I ignored it.
- When the telephone rang I was having dinner.
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1 Answers
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The progressive tense is better here because "referring" happens concurrently with "talk" (rather than subsequent to it or as a result of it). As a related example, compare:
When the telephone rang I ignored it.
When the telephone rang I was having dinner.
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