have and is having

[sara88]

Hi friends,
1-I'm having a great time watching that happen.
2-I have a strong drive.
Why we use the progressive form in the first one and we don't in the second?
My answer is:
we use the progressive form in the first cuz it's happening now, and we use the simple form in the second which means I always have strong drive.!! Is that right?!

Also why we say:
I love you.
I'm loving my life.
What's the diffrence please?
Thanks so much in advance..

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by sara88

Hi friends,
1-I'm having a great time watching that happen.
2-I have a strong drive.
Why we use the progressive form in the first one and we don't in the second?
My answer is:
we use the progressive form in the first cuz it's happening now, and we use the simple form in the second which means I always have strong drive.!! Is that right?!

Yup, it shorely is, Sara. You've nailed it!!!

Also why do we say:
I love you.
I'm loving my life.
What's the differnce please?
Thanks so much in advance..

"I love you" represents a state that one is in, that of loving a person in a situation that is the same as your "strong drive". While we don't know what the duration of either will be, there are habitual/routine/true for right now.

"I'm loving something" doesn't illustrate that the feeling is not the same as that expressed by the present simple. It might be the same thing. What it shows is a more now thing, a happening thing, something to be excited about, not just a routine statement of fact.

While there are nuances that exist, you've got the basic ideas, Sara.

[sara88]

Thanks so much RK, I got it now...
Just to add, I found this in my grammer book:
Love and hate can be used in the progressive for very strong emphasis:
-How do u like your new job?
-I'm loving it (something new)
-I'm loving my life.(emphasis, I do love my life.)

Please RK, just final question: You said for me: You nailed it. But I think Nail is a phrasel verb; nail down, so I think u have to say: You nailed it down, which means u understand it. Am I right?!

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by sara88

Thanks so much RK, I got it now...

You're so very welcome, Sara.

Please RK, just final question: You said for me: You nailed it. But I think Nail is a phrasel verb; nail down, so I think u have to say: You nailed it down, which means u understand it. Am I right?!

Nope Sara, 'nail something' means get it right. You can also say; 'be spot on/be right on/ hit the nail on the head/bull's eye/ hit the bull's eye / ...

'nail sth down' means decide on sth, come to an agreement on sth..

Let's get this nailed down then. The plan is to meet ...

[sara88]

Originally Posted by riverkid

Nope Sara, 'nail something' means get it right. You can also say; 'be spot on/be right on/ hit the nail on the head/bull's eye/ hit the bull's eye / ...

'nail sth down' means decide on sth, come to an agreement on sth..

Let's get this nailed down then. The plan is to meet ...

true, also another meaning of Nail sth down is:

nail sth down (UNDERSTAND) phrasal verb [M] US INFORMAL
to understand something completely, or to describe something correctly:
We haven't been able to nail down the cause of the fire yet.(from cambridge dictionary)