Which one is right and why 1 He puts the fish on a dish 2 He puts a fish on the dish

[mohammedabo]

Which one is right and why?
1 -He puts the fish on a dish.
2- He puts a fish on the dish.
I found this question on a Facebook group without any more context.
I could not decide which one is right because I could not understand the tense of them.
Is it right to use put in this way with such unknown context?

 

[Tarheel]

1 -He puts the fish on a dish.
2- He puts a fish on the dish.

As standalone sentences, both are correct.

 

[mohammedabo]

As standalone sentences, both are correct.

Isn't it better to use is putting or put as a past simple?
I can not decide why is the present simple used here.
Does it refer to a habit with such limited context?

 

[Tarheel]

It depends on what you want to say.

He is putting the fish on the plate. - It is happening at that moment.

He put the fish on the plate. - It happened in the past

If he puts the fish on a plate every day maybe it's a habit. Or maybe he's a cook.

 

[tzfujimino]

He puts the fish on the dish, and it says, "Are you really going to eat me?" ...

Yes, I think the present simple is possible. It doesn't necessarily express habitual actions.

 

[mohammedabo]

He puts the fish on the dish, and it says, "Are you really going to eat me?" ...

Yes, I think the present simple is possible. It doesn't necessarily express habitual actions.

So this way, it is better to describe something happening now with present continuous.
Or do you mean it is a comment using present simple?

 

[tzfujimino]

So this way, it is better to describe something happening now with present continuous.
Or do you mean it is a comment using present simple?

I was telling a story there.
See here:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/present-simple
Please scroll down to Level: advanced.

 

[Tarheel]

If he had written "He is putting the fish on the dish" that would have been present continuous.

 

[mohammedabo]

I was telling a story there.
See here:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/present-simple
Please scroll down to Level: advanced.

Yes, you are right.
what puzzles me about my sentences is that there is no enough context.