MISTAKE MONDAY: ACTIVITIES IN PROGRESS
13 / 10 / 2014
MISTAKE MONDAY: ACTIVITIES IN PROGRESS: meaning and examples
Good morning everyone. I hope all of you had a nice weekend.
As you know, on Mistake Monday the Daily Vitamin focuses on an error commonly made by English learners. Do you see the mistake in the following sentence?
Sentence 1: I am taking English classes for three months.
Grammatically speaking, this sentence is correct; so why is it an example for Mistake Monday?
With sentences like these, the grammar is correct, but students often use this sentence when they mean to say something different. The above sentence, in the right context, could be very similar in meaning to the following sentences.
Sentence 2: I plan to take English classes for three months.
(The classes are in the future).
Sentence 3: I am in an English class that is three months long.
(The class is happening now, and we do not know when the class started.)
Typically, students use Sentence 1 to express that they started English classes three months ago and they are still taking the classes now (= activity in progress). To express activities in progress in English we normally use the Present Perfect Progressive, although sometimes we can also use the Present Perfect.
Sentence 4: I have been taking English classes for three months.
(I started three months ago and I am still taking classes.)
Sentence 5: I have lived in Barcelona for 20 years!
(I started living in Barcelona 20 years ago and I still live in Barcelona.)
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to post them on our Facebook page.
See you tomorrow for Tense Tuesday.
Have a great Monday!
As you know, on Mistake Monday the Daily Vitamin focuses on an error commonly made by English learners. Do you see the mistake in the following sentence?
Sentence 1: I am taking English classes for three months.
Grammatically speaking, this sentence is correct; so why is it an example for Mistake Monday?
With sentences like these, the grammar is correct, but students often use this sentence when they mean to say something different. The above sentence, in the right context, could be very similar in meaning to the following sentences.
Sentence 2: I plan to take English classes for three months.
(The classes are in the future).
Sentence 3: I am in an English class that is three months long.
(The class is happening now, and we do not know when the class started.)
Typically, students use Sentence 1 to express that they started English classes three months ago and they are still taking the classes now (= activity in progress). To express activities in progress in English we normally use the Present Perfect Progressive, although sometimes we can also use the Present Perfect.
Sentence 4: I have been taking English classes for three months.
(I started three months ago and I am still taking classes.)
Sentence 5: I have lived in Barcelona for 20 years!
(I started living in Barcelona 20 years ago and I still live in Barcelona.)
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to post them on our Facebook page.
See you tomorrow for Tense Tuesday.
Have a great Monday!
