[Grammar] And here’s a question to think about while you listen

[kadioguy]

(On BBC Learning English)

Alice
So: to start off, we’re going to listen to Andrea and Steve who work in a bank. They have just interviewed two people who want to work there.

Finn
And here’s a question to think about while you listen: who did Andrea and Steve like best - the first person or the second person?

(At time 0:41)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/lower-intermediate/unit-1/session-1/activity-3
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a. And here’s a question to think about while you listen.
b. And here’s a question to think about while you are listening.

Why is the blue part in the present simple? It is very natural to me to use the present progressive. :-?

What is the difference in meaning between them?

 

[Tdol]

I don't see much difference. You could suggest that the bare infinitive means from-start-to-finish, but I think such distinctions are not so clear in many situations.

 

[kadioguy]

I don't see much difference. You could suggest that the bare infinitive means from-start-to-finish, but I think suck distinctions are not so clear in many situations.

So in (a), we use a present tense to talk about the future rather than a repeated action, just like:

I'll give her your love when I see her.

Am I right in thinking this?

 

[tzfujimino]

"while you listen" means the same as "as you listen".

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/as_3
(definition #1)

 

[kadioguy]

I don't see much difference. You could suggest that the bare infinitive means from-start-to-finish, but I think suck distinctions are not so clear in many situations.

Ah, did you mean 'such'?

 

[kadioguy]

"while you listen" means the same as "as you listen".

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/as_3
(definition #1)

Thanks.

But what confuses me is that I don't know why it is in the present simple.

Am I right in thinking it in post #3?

 

[jutfrank]

Am I right in thinking it in post #3?

No, you're not.

Regarding the original question, I'm still trying to detect a difference worth commenting on.

I suppose that if there was a preference to use the continuous aspect over the simple, it would be down to a cause to emphasise the progressive nature of the action.

I can tell you that it is very common to use the present simple after while in cases like this. I suspect that since the core sense of while already has a sense of progressiveness, there is often no real need for a progressive aspect as well.

 

[kadioguy]

So in (a), we use a present tense to talk about the future rather than a repeated action

Am I right in this part? I would think it is OK.

 

[Tarheel]

Two things, kadioguy.

1. I think you are catching on. Pretty soon you will have my job.
2. Are you going to be our typo corrector from now on?

 

[jutfrank]

Am I right in this part? I would think it is OK.

No, you're not.

 

[kadioguy]

Two things, kadioguy.

1. I think you are catching on. Pretty soon you will have my job.
2. Are you going to be our typo corrector from now on?

Thanks.

I would like to focus on learning for now, but I will try my best to give my opinion if I see something which seems to be a typo.

 

[Tdol]

Ah, did you mean 'such'?

I did. :up: