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Kane159 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Usage of tenses

Hi,

what is the difference between using the simple and progressive tense in the following example?

He's become rich because he's making/makes a lot of money.
I cannot tell a difference between these two...can I use both of them?

Also,I have a sentence from a movie The social network:


"The rest of my attention is back at the offices of Facebook, where my colleagues and I are doing things that no one in this room, including and especially your clients, are intellectually or creatively capable of doing. "

Can I replace "are doing" with "do"? If so,what would be the difference?

Thank you so much in advance!
  

Top answer

what is the difference between using the simple and progressive tense in the following example? He's become rich because he's making/makes a lot of money. -- You can use either.

  • what is the difference between using the simple and progressive tense in the following example?
  • He's become rich because he's making/makes a lot of money.
  • -- You can use either.
  • The progressive form stresses the action and makes it more immediate, more graphic, and presumably more interesting/exciting for the reader.
  • "The rest of my attention is back at the offices of Facebook, where my colleagues and I are doing things that no one in this room, including and especially your clients, are intellectually or creatively capable of doing.
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3 Answers
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what is the difference between using the simple and progressive tense in the following example? He's become rich because he's making/makes a lot of money. I cannot tell a difference between these two...can I use both of them?-- You can use either. The progressive form stresses the action and makes it more immediate, more graphic, and presumably more interesting/exciting for the reader.
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Thank you,MM. Could I use it in the past and the future as well?

For example:
We were working/worked on a project that no one could understand clearly.
I will establish a company which will be doing/will do its best to serve people.

Are they correct? Thank you in advance.
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Yes, all OK, and with the same nuance I indicated above.

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