Is studying or studies

[Rachel Adams]

In most textbooks in a sentence such as "I study at university" they use present simple but in "Longman English Grammar Practice" by L.G. Alexander the book uses the progressive.
Could you please tell which tense is most common?

 

[emsr2d2]

The continuous (progressive) is more common if you are currently a student at a university.

 

[GoesStation]

In most textbooks in a sentence such as "I study at university" they use present simple but in "Longman English Grammar Practice" by L.G. Alexander the book uses the progressive.

The sentence is an illustration of the usage described immediately above it: Temporary situations/actions.

 

[Rachel Adams]

The continuous (progressive) is more common if you are currently a student at a university.

Two questions, if you plese. Even if a ''temporary'' action is quite long, three or four years or 11 years at school would a native speaker still use the progressive? You said it's more common if I am currently a student. But if someone says ''I study at university'' doesn't it usually mean they are currently a student?

 

[GoesStation]

Even if a ''temporary'' action is quite long, three or four years or 11 years at school would a native speaker still use the progressive?

Yes. The progressive tells the listener that the studying is in progress and will eventually end. For example:

"What's your sister up to these days?"

"The same thing she's been doing for the last ten years: she's working on her PhD. She'll probably still be working on it ten years from now!"

 

[Rachel Adams]

Yes. The progressive tells the listener that the studying is in progress and will eventually end. For example:

"What's your sister up to these days?"

"The same thing she's been doing for the last ten years: she's working on her PhD. She'll probably still be working on it ten years from now!"

Then what we have been taught at school is not right that only "She studies at school" is correct while "she is studying" isn't.

 

[Yankee]

Two questions, if you please. Even if a ''temporary'' action is quite long, three or four years or 11 years at school would a native speaker still use the progressive? Yes, if currently in progress. You said it's more common if I am currently a student. But if someone says ''I study at university'' doesn't it usually mean they are currently a student? Yes, and context might suggest simple present, e.g. (A) Where do you study? (B) I study at [the] university".

Y.

 

[emsr2d2]

Then what we have been taught at school is not right that only "She studies at school" is correct while "she is studying" isn't.

Unfortunately, that appears to be the case. Perhaps you should show an English teacher there the contents of this thread.

 

[Rover_KE]

... but don't be surprised if they say 'Don't believe everything you read on the internet'.

 

[GoesStation]

Then what we have been taught at school is not right that only "She studies at school" is correct while "she is studying" isn't.

Only continuous tenses work in my example dialog.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Y.

You said a native speaker would still use the progressive if it's currently in progress. I was thinking about a context where it may not be in progress. Do you mean if a student is on holiday and says they are on holiday?

 

[emsr2d2]

It doesn't matter if they're on holiday. They're still a student at university. It's like their job! When you're on holiday, you don't stop saying "I'm a teacher".

 

[Rachel Adams]

It doesn't matter if they're on holiday. They're still a student at university. It's like their job! When you're on holiday, you don't stop saying "I'm a teacher".

Then it's always in progress :shock:. Is there a context where it's not in progress and present simple is correct? The present simple seems to be correct only as an answer to the question "Where do you study?" "I study at Cambridge."

 

[probus]

Frankly, it's not easy to think of a context in which the simple present is better with a first person use of study. The only one I've come up with so far is an explanation of purpose or rationale. For example:

I study mainly to keep my parents happy.

I study the classics for the insights they provide into history.

 

[GoesStation]

Is there a context where it's not in progress and present simple is correct? The present simple seems to be correct only as an answer to the question "Where do you study?" "I study at Cambridge."

In a more natural dialog, the answer might be "I study at the library" or "Tonight I'm studying at the coffee shop."

 

[Rachel Adams]

It doesn't matter if they're on holiday. They're still a student at university. It's like their job! When you're on holiday, you don't stop saying "I'm a teacher".

I was wondering if the teachers on this forum agree with this opinion?


The choice of continuous or simple tenses is usually not too important (except in verbs that rarely form the continuous) and may be dictated by the context:

A: "I will be visiting Cambridge for a few days next week."
B: "Oh! That is good. I am studying at Cambridge, perhaps we could meet?" (Here, the continuous has been used, in combination with time, to indicate that A will be in Cambridge continuously (for a few days) and (coincidentally) B will be in Cambridge for quite a while.

A: I visit Cambridge next week.
B: I study at Cambridge.
A: "It is a wonderful city with much to see.
B: "Yes. The Fitzwilliam is worth a visit."

This conversation revolves around the place; not the time.

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/study-studying-university-college-school.2713245/
Post #6

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm not sure what you mean by the choice of tenses not being "too important". The important thing for you to know about your two dialogues above is that the first is natural and the second is not. Native speakers simply don't use the present simple to refer to a future plan. A would say either "I'm visiting Cambridge next week", "I'll be visiting Cambridge next week" or "I'll be in Cambridge next week". So, as you can see, the present continuous, future continuous or simple future could be used.
Whilst I can't say categorically that, if B were a native speaker, they wouldn't say "I study at Cambridge" in that context, it's still unlikely. They're more likely to say "I'm studying at Cambridge".

 

[jutfrank]

I think PaulQ's post gets to the basic difference pretty well.

A simple way to put it is that we use the present simple when we want to express a simple fact, with no reason to use a progressive aspect. I think this is the place that the teachers who told you to say I study were coming from. They were thinking of a context like this:

A: What do you do?
B: I study.

Your teachers were probably trying to make things simple for you. I doubt they meant to give you the idea that I'm studying is always wrong.