Present simple/V-ing

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Present simple/V-ing
Message from jojo233 posted on 03-12-2012 at 11:51:46 (D | E | F)
Hello,

Could you help me please?
I am playing (to play)football right now.
I play (to play)football on Saturdays.
Please tell me the difference between the sentences.
Why doesn't the second sentence need "am" .
Look forward to you reply....

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Edited by lucile83 on 03-12-2012 21:01

Re: Present simple/V-ing from gerondif, posted on 03-12-2012 at 11:59:42 (D | E)
Hello,
there are two present tenses in English:

1) I am writing to you now:
I am playing football right now.
The action is taking place now;

2) I teach English.
I work in France.
I swim on Mondays. I don't swim on Saturdays.
I play football on Saturdays.

This is a general present which is always true, generally speaking. It is called the simple present.
The most famous exemple with this tense is probably: "I love you" which means that it is not true only this minute but always !

Re: Present simple/V-ing from violet91, posted on 03-12-2012 at 17:47:38 (D | E)
Hello jojo,

After those explanations , let me add a few things.

1 ) If you describe something you are doing at the moment when you are doing it and things happening , visible in their process ( you could play and shoot ( film) them in slow motion, for example, you will certainly use the continuous present : BE + - ING . There is usually something in the sentence to signal and stress the development of things being done or you being busy at. Now, at the moment , this minute../ Look! Listen ! / Oh! Ah ! Hey!...)

2 ) As for the simple present : you can't measure the time it takes : you just state general things . The verbs mostly refer to abstraction : opinions/ generalities/ love and hatred, feelings/ senses and perceptions/ hopes and desires... On the whole , it works like that.

N.B. Indeed , if your job is testing and creating perfumes[ instead of just smelling as we can all do ], you as a perfumer (like the book ) will then be able to use both tenses.

His work is ' smelling' all sorts of things, selecting and mixing them. As a job, he will say he smells perfumes , he tests many things , he makes mysterious mixures , he finally makes them when they smell perfectly.( to his aim and taste.)

If you watch him work(ing) , he 'll describe and he will say ' Here! Look ! I am smelling this or that ! I am mixing ..I am trying to reach my purpose and I am ckecking ( slowly but surely) what it is like in the end. The same with a scientist observing in a microscope in a lab or a sophisticated movie- camera which can show us what our common eyes can't see : the growth or blossoming of a plant, a flower, for example. But all that is not common use.

Love is the best subject , isn't it ? We love or we don't . We want or we don't want . They are statements and we all hope it is forever ! Yet, in a special meaning and context , you can find ' I am loving you' (like the song) ' : 'I want you' might become ' I am wanting you'. You probably see what I mean : it doesn't refer to the romance ( feelings) but it is physical and descriptive

See you .

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