Present Continuous vs Simple Present

new_boy   Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:21 am GMT
I found the following sentence in an online news:

"Michael Carrick is, according to Ferguson, progressing on his recovery from an ankle injury"

If, I choose to use simple present, am I still correct?:

"Michael Carrick, according to Ferguson, progresses on his recovery from an ankle injury".

In the second sentence, it is still understandable.

Thanks.
Rick   Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:48 am GMT
It looks perfectly fine to me.
new_boy   Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:50 am GMT
Hello Rick,

I need your confirmation, so it is ok? (grammatically correct?). I mean, the second sentence, not the first sentence.

Thanks.
new_boy   Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:04 am GMT
Hello Rick,

I need your confirmation, so it is ok? (grammatically correct?). I mean, the second sentence, not the first sentence.

Thanks.
new_boy   Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:05 am GMT
Hello Rick,

I need your confirmation, so it is ok? (grammatically correct?). I mean, the second sentence, not the first sentence.

Thanks.
Rick   Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:24 am GMT
Yes, i meant the second sentence, it's gramatically correct.
txema   Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:59 pm GMT
new_boy,

Then second sentence is grammaticaly correct but is less descriptive of what's going on with Michael carrick's ankle at the time the article was written.

Consider as a guidance the following hints:
1 - Use simple present to express permanent actions or usual facts.
2 - Use Simple Present Progressive (continouos) to express ideas about temporary things or events or something that is happening currently.

Of course, there are more on the use of these tenses as per the context you want to use them.
Monos   Fri Aug 25, 2006 12:32 am GMT
-"Michael Carrick, according to Ferguson, progresses on his recovery
from an ankle injury". -

It sounds a bit like a newspaper headline...They seem to prefer simple tenses in headlines.


Plane crashes, passengers safe and sound
new_boy   Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:01 am GMT
First, I want to apologize because I have posted three responses to Rick with the same sentences (it was my mistake). It was done by clicking "refresh" button on my browser. It was not intentionally.

Second, thanks for your response. It is very valuable. But, I will come back with another sentence.

Thanks.
Kirk   Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:08 am GMT
<<I found the following sentence in an online news:

"Michael Carrick is, according to Ferguson, progressing on his recovery from an ankle injury"

If, I choose to use simple present, am I still correct?:

"Michael Carrick, according to Ferguson, progresses on his recovery from an ankle injury".

In the second sentence, it is still understandable. >>

It's still understandable but it doesn't mean the same thing. Often, using the simple present implies a repeated action, something you do in general but are not necessarily doing right now. The progressive is often used for things you are in the process of doing. Compare the differences between the following sentences:

"Every Saturday I go to the farmer's market to buy fresh fruit and vegetables."

"(Right now) I'm going to the farmer's market to buy fresh fruit and vegetables."

"Do you take cream or sugar with your coffee?"
"No, I don't care for them, thank you."

"Why are you wearing a brown shirt? I thought you didn't like brown!"

There's actually an example of an odd usage of the present progressive on this forum. The thread entitled "Why are you using 'Anglo-Saxon' all the time?" sounds a little odd to me because it sounds like a single currently happening activity instead of a more general one, which is the intended meaning. I understand what it means from context but normally I would expect "Why do you use 'Anglo-Saxon' all the time?" for the intended meaning.