Feb. 23, 2022
When someone is describing how they are feeling and spending their days during an illness is it more correct (in British English) to almost always use the present continuous tense rather than the present simple?
My nose and sinuses are congested and my head is spinning. But, I am not suffering much for I am taking ibuprofen every now and then.
My days are uneventful and am barely leaving my bed. The diffuser is almost always on and I am inhaling eucaliptus oil as much as possible.
Other than that, I am mostly reading e-articles and I have picked up a new hobby - knitting socks, which does not only activate my mind, but it is also very peaceful.
OR:
It is so boring at home. I am taking the meds prescribed by the doctor three times a day. Besides, all I do is sleeping, drawing and playing games.
I am playing Minecraft and the League of Legends. Sometimes I am hanging out on FB with friends and I forget what I am living through.
Would it also be correct to replace all those instances of the present continuous with the present simple like with:
spins instead of is spinning ,
I don't suffer instead of I'm not suffering,
I take instead of I'm taking,
I leave instead of I'm leaving ,
I inhale instead of I'm inhaling ,
I read instead of I'm reading ,
I play instead of I'm playing,
I hang out instead of I'm hanging out?
Describing how one is spending their days during an illness
When someone is describing how they are feeling and spending their days during an illness is it more correct (in British English) to almost always use the present continuous tense rather than the present simple?
My nose and sinuses are congested and my head is spinning.
If you're describing a current, ongoing, uninterrupted state: yes, definitely. "my head spins" sounds more like it happens from time to time. Every couple of hours my head spins, but when I sit down it goes away.
But, I am not suffering much forbecause I am taking ibuprofen every now and then.
"for" is okay here but it's a very high-minded way to talk, like you're a character from a Victorian novel :)
Here "taking" and "take" are both okay, but "taking" is probably a bit more natural if you're talking about taking ibuprofen because of your current state. We kind of think of it as continuous, even though we aren't literally taking pills one after another. Because it's like a regular regimen, three hours ago I took ibuprofen, in another three hours I'll take some more, so even in the time between I'm still "taking" ibuprofen because I'm on that regimen. "I take ibuprofen" is more likely as a general description - whenever I get headaches I don't suffer much because I take ibuprofen.
As for suffer and suffering, I think "I'm not suffering" is a bit more natural but both are fine.
My days are uneventful and amI barely leavinge my bed.
Here present simple sounds better, but I'm not sure why. Continuous is possible but a bit strange. You missed an "I".
The diffuser is almost always on and I am inhaling eucaliyptus oil as much as possible.
Very similiar to the one about ibuprofen.
Other than that, I am mostly reading e-internet articles a. And I have picked up a new hobby -, knitting socks, which does not only activate my mind, but it is also very peaceful.
Never seen an English native say "e-articles", although it's super clear what you mean :)
This felt a bit odd as one sentence, and it also felt a bit odd to use the hyphen like that.
OR:
It is so boring at home.
I am taking the meds prescribed by the doctor three times a day.
Again very similar to ibuprofen.
Besides, all I do is sleeping, drawing and playing games.
Or "the only things I do are sleeping..."
I am playing Minecraft and the League of Legends.
Sometimes I ham hanging out on FB with friends and I forget what I am living through.
Here we NEED present simple, I think. Because we explicitly mean sometimes, repeated events, not an ongoing thing. Continuous is possible if you cast it as more regular, "I'm hanging out on FB every night with my friends".
Would it also be correct to replace all those instances of the present continuous with the present simple, like with:
Feedback
Your intuition here is quite close, I think. Illnesses usually are the kind of ongoing state that we like to use continuous with. But it's not an explicit rule that we could say "almost always" for. Apart from everything else, a simple "I feel like shit" is very very natural and "I'm feeling like shit" is probably less common - even though that feeling is definitely a continuous ongoing state! But, yeah, probably most of the time continuous will fit better.
I think I addressed everything but please point out if I missed one :)
Describing how someone is spending their days during an illness
one is more poetic
But, I am not suffering much forbecause I am taking ibuprofen every now and then.
My days are uneventful and I am barely leaving my bed.
Feedback
good.
Tough question. Sorry I don't know the answer.
Describing how one is spending their days during an illness Describing how someone is spending their days during an illness one is more poetic This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
When someone is describing how they are feeling and spending their days during an illness is it more correct (in British English) to almost always use the present continuous tense rather than the present simple? This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
My nose and sinuses are congested and my head is spinning. My nose and sinuses are congested and my head is spinning. If you're describing a current, ongoing, uninterrupted state: yes, definitely. "my head spins" sounds more like it happens from time to time. Every couple of hours my head spins, but when I sit down it goes away. |
But, I am not suffering much for I am taking ibuprofen every now and then. But, I am not suffering much But, I am not suffering much "for" is okay here but it's a very high-minded way to talk, like you're a character from a Victorian novel :) Here "taking" and "take" are both okay, but "taking" is probably a bit more natural if you're talking about taking ibuprofen because of your current state. We kind of think of it as continuous, even though we aren't literally taking pills one after another. Because it's like a regular regimen, three hours ago I took ibuprofen, in another three hours I'll take some more, so even in the time between I'm still "taking" ibuprofen because I'm on that regimen. "I take ibuprofen" is more likely as a general description - whenever I get headaches I don't suffer much because I take ibuprofen. As for suffer and suffering, I think "I'm not suffering" is a bit more natural but both are fine. |
My days are uneventful and am barely leaving my bed. My days are uneventful and I am barely leaving my bed. My days are uneventful and Here present simple sounds better, but I'm not sure why. Continuous is possible but a bit strange. You missed an "I". |
The diffuser is almost always on and I am inhaling eucaliptus oil as much as possible. The diffuser is almost always on and I am inhaling eucal Very similiar to the one about ibuprofen. |
Other than that, I am mostly reading e-articles and I have picked up a new hobby - knitting socks, which does not only activate my mind, but it is also very peaceful. Other than that, I am mostly reading Never seen an English native say "e-articles", although it's super clear what you mean :) This felt a bit odd as one sentence, and it also felt a bit odd to use the hyphen like that. |
OR: This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
It is so boring at home. This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
I am taking the meds prescribed by the doctor three times a day. I am taking the meds prescribed by the doctor three times a day. Again very similar to ibuprofen. |
Besides, all I do is sleeping, drawing and playing games. Besides, all I do is sleep Or "the only things I do are sleeping..." |
I am playing Minecraft and the League of Legends. I am playing Minecraft and |
Sometimes I am hanging out on FB with friends and I forget what I am living through. Sometimes I ha Here we NEED present simple, I think. Because we explicitly mean sometimes, repeated events, not an ongoing thing. Continuous is possible if you cast it as more regular, "I'm hanging out on FB every night with my friends". |
Would it also be correct to replace all those instances of the present continuous with the present simple like with: Would it also be correct to replace all those instances of the present continuous with the present simple, like with: |
spins instead of is spinning , |
I don't suffer instead of I'm not suffering, |
I take instead of I'm taking, |
I leave instead of I'm leaving , |
I inhale instead of I'm inhaling , |
I read instead of I'm reading , |
I play instead of I'm playing, |
I hang out instead of I'm hanging out? |
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