7 advanced grammar points (help me out guys! please)

[forum_mail]

OK, here it comes, some heavy stuff...

1. That must be the end of the first part of the performance. What happens/is happening now.

Which one would you choose? The key says that "happens" is OK but I don't have the foggiest idea why...

2. transformation: I'm finding it really enjoyable to work here.

The key says: I'm really enjoying working here. Again, I don't know why and why I cannot use "I really enjoy sorking here"

3. transformation: I take work home regularly because of my new responsibility at work.

The key says: My new responsibility at work means I take work home regularly. Why is that? and why not this one: My new responsibility means TAKING work home regularly. ?

4. Is there any difference between "I look forward to hearing from you" and "I'm looking forward to hearing from you" ?

5. Is this sentence OK? : Are you hearing from Wendy these days? The key says that it's wrong and a correction is given: Do you hear... and I don't understand why :(

6. Can I say "I'm suspecting (her)" ? and how is it different from "I suspect (np. her)

7. Are "How do you feel?" and "How are you feeling" the same in meaning?

thanks in advance... hope someone will answer me...

best wishes!

[fiona bramble]

OK, here it comes, some heavy stuff...
Hi, I'll take a stab at it!
1. That must be the end of the first part of the performance. What happens/is happening now.
The first part of the performance had just ended and the next hasn't started so, "what happens now" (meaning: what happens next) is appropriate. Perhaps it is intermission or..."What is happening now" could only be used if the next part had started or if there was some other kind of action going on. It is a little ambiguous, but I think if the sentnece read: "That must HAVE BEEN the end (clearly past), then we could argue that "what is happening now" is possible.

Which one would you choose? The key says that "happens" is OK but I don't have the foggiest idea why...

2. transformation: I'm finding it really enjoyable to work here.

The key says: I'm really enjoying working here. Again, I don't know why and why I cannot use "I really enjoy sorking here"
I think both are fine. Of course, "I'm really enjoying working here" suggests AT THIS MOMENT, whereas "I really enjoy working here" is a general statement.

3. transformation: I take work home regularly because of my new responsibility at work.

The key says: My new responsibility at work means I take work home regularly. Why is that? and why not this one: My new responsibility means TAKING work home regularly. ?
I just have to ask what you mean by "transformation"? Is this a Cambridge Certificate text? Are you meant to use so many words and write a new sentence? Anyway...I think your "taking home work regularly" is fine and I would use it, but if I were being picky, I would add "ME taking work home..." just to clarify who indeed is taking the work home.
4. Is there any difference between "I look forward to hearing from you" and "I'm looking forward to hearing from you" ?
Hmmm...I'm not sure how to explain this, except that "I look forward" is used commonly in formal letters or emails and is kind of a "set" expression. I don't hear the second one too often but I know it is possible!

5. Is this sentence OK? : Are you hearing from Wendy these days? The key says that it's wrong and a correction is given: Do you hear... and I don't understand why :(
It could be because of "hear" and its relationship to the sensory verbs, which are generally not used in the continuous or progressive form, although this is kind of an idiomatic use of "hear". "Do you hear" or "have you heard" are acceptable here.

6. Can I say "I'm suspecting (her)" ? and how is it different from "I suspect (np. her)
Again, you are coming up against a verb group that is not commonly used in the progressive (although there are exceptions!) Sometimes just called "mental" verbs or "thinking" verbs (believe, think, predict, prove, realize, suppose etc...)
7. Are "How do you feel?" and "How are you feeling" the same in meaning?
I probably would not use these in the same contexts, although they essentially have the same meaning. "How do you feel" I would use if someone just took some medicine or stood on their head or just quit their job (for example ), so asking really "How do you feel (about what just happened)"; "How are you feeling" I would probably use if I knew someone wasn't feeling well (physically or emotionally) and was checking their progress
thanks in advance... hope someone will answer me...
hope that helps!
best wishes!

good luck to you

[Tdol]

In addition to what Fiona said, I feel that the use of 'I'm finding' in #2 places emphasis on the time, so the present progressive is the logical choice as a transformation- I am enjoying it now, but things may change tomorrow.