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ESL forum > Message board > Present simple Vrs. Present Continuous! Help!    

Present simple Vrs. Present Continuous! Help!





Samantha.esl
Italy

haha PhillipR, you make me laugh! I don �t know about the teacher but as I said I �m glad to read your answers because I couldn �t figure out which tense would be more appropiate and why... In fact, they don �t make much sense! I know the context is important to understand what they really refer to but......   I �m getting confused right now!
It �s true what you are saying suxanita! 

Edit: I don�t really understand what the teacher has in mind.. I mean, students are suppose to use present continuous or present simple but to me the sentences don�t give or show enough information to be able to easily decipher which tense is the correct one for each! So that�s why I couldn�t explain to the student how to identify when to use Present Simple and when Present continuous.

24 Feb 2010     



kprichorniana
Mexico

I feel the same as all of you in regards to these sentences.  And see that everyone has tried to see the logic in it.  Stepha made an extra effort even. But a real English teacher has to make sure the exercises are clear and concise.   Don �t you go worrying yourself.  Students learning a second language shouldn �t be pushed to over intellectualize a homework exercise! It �s ridiculous...We �re teachers and we can �t even find the logic in what she/he was trying to say. Makes me mad!Angry

24 Feb 2010     



alien boy
Japan

�at� is usually associated with British English, �on� is usually associated with American English (at least according to Michael Swann - p.296 of Practical English Usage, 3rd ed.)
 
1) She is working during the weekends -
  a) while �weekends � sounds a little odd, it would indicate that she works every weekend, so her schedule will not allow for other activities across ongoing weekends.
  b) If it were �during the weekend � indicates she is scheduled or expected to work on the specific weekend under discussion (prescriptive grammar - singular weekend) OR that it is an ongoing situation (according to descriptive grammars - i.e. how native speakers use the language)..
  c) �She works during the weekend� indicates she is scheduled or expected to work on the specific weekend under discussion (prescriptive grammar - singular weekend) OR also that it is an ongoing situation (according to descriptive grammars - i.e. how native speakers use the language).
 
2) She works IN the weekends - definitely should be ON -
  a) means that it is an ongoing circumstance that she works every weekend. �She works on the weekend � indicates she is scheduled or expected to work on the specific weekend under discussion (prescriptive grammar - singular weekend) OR also that it is an ongoing situation (according to descriptive grammars - i.e. how native speakers use the language).
  b) �She is working ON the weekends � indicates an ongoing circumstance or expectation that she works on every weekend.
 
3) She is working AT the weekends -
  a) means that it is an ongoing circumstance that she works every weekend - plural weekends.  �She works AT the weekends also means this!
  b) �She is working AT the weekend � indicates she is scheduled or expected to work on/over/during/at the specific weekend under discussion (prescriptive grammar - singular weekend) OR also that it is an ongoing situation (according to descriptive grammars - i.e. how native speakers use the language).
 
Without providing context it is not actually possible to determine the 100% correct interpretation in terms of native English communication.
In terms of prescriprive grammar (or the strict grammarians �rules of grammar � - which is not actually how native speakers actually consistently speak & is commonly called �descriptive grammar � by many linguists) then the meanings could be derived as per the a) responses above. This does not mean those responses are actually how the language is used by native speakers!!!

Regards,
AB

24 Feb 2010     



kprichorniana
Mexico

Wow! That �s a lot!  My head starting to spin!!Wacko That was great!  Thumbs Up

24 Feb 2010     



douglas
United States

AB--You ARE the man --nice explanation.

24 Feb 2010     



dawnmain
United Kingdom

This can be explained simply.
 
She works at weekends means she usually works weekends.
 
She is working at weekends means its a temporary situation eg there is a staff shortage so she has to work extra dys for a few weeks.
 
in weekends is not acceptable.
 
during and at sound the same to me.

24 Feb 2010     



Samantha.esl
Italy

Hi!! Thank you Alien boy! !! great!

24 Feb 2010     

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