Is coming, is getting, is starting

[Rachel Adams]

Is it wrong to use the present progressive in the first sentence because we are talking about a timetable? In the second sentence I was confused by the word "today" which requires the present progressive, but probably not in my sentence. In the third sentence I used the present simple too, but if I am not mistaken, the progressive isn't wrong either. Are my choices correct?

1. "That film comes to the local cinema next week." (Not "is coming")

2. "I am waiting for the shop to open. Their sale starts today." (Not "is starting")

3. "How does Peter get on at school?" ( Or "is getting")

The exercises are from "A Practical English Grammar Combined Exercises" by A. J. Thomson and A. V. Martinet.

 

[GoesStation]

1. "That film comes/is coming to the local cinema next week." [STRIKE](Not "is coming")[/STRIKE] The progressive is much more likely, but the present simple is possible in some contexts.

2. "I am waiting for the shop to open. Their sale starts/is starting today." ([STRIKE]Not "is starting")[/STRIKE] Either is possible.

3. "How's [STRIKE]does[/STRIKE] Peter getting on/doing (in American English) at school?" [STRIKE]( Or "is getting")[/STRIKE]

See above.

 

[Rachel Adams]

See above.

I didn't know that with timetables native speakers use the progressive as in sentence #1. Does the second sentence also refer to a timetable?

 

[GoesStation]

I didn't know that with timetables native speakers use the progressive as in sentence #1. Does the second sentence also refer to a timetable?

I suppose it might. You'll be a lot better off learning this through exposure than by trying to apply rules.

 

[GoesStation]

Thomson and Martinet do have a tendency to think that what they consider the most appropriate tense/aspect is the only possible one.

Martinet may be a bit of a martinet then.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thomson and Martinet do have a tendency to think that what they consider the most appropriate tense/aspect is the only possible one.

Unfortunately, a lot of exercise writers fail to notice that more than one of their suggested answers could be correct.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I suppose it might. You'll be a lot better off learning this through exposure than by trying to apply rules.

You are right. None of the books I have mentions that. They say the present simple is used to timetables not the progressive.

 

[tedmc]

You are right. None of the books I have mentions that. They say the present simple is used [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] with timetables, not the progressive.

.