[Grammar] present progressive

[captain1]

I am learning English. and today I learned about the present simple&Progressive.

I saw a movie and I saw the sentence : "Before we begin the show I'd like to .. "....the sentence is in present simple. Why to write in present simple and not in progressive? the show is temporary situation! no? we have to start and then to finish so why not to write "before we are beginning the show?

Thank you

 

[captain1]

please

 

[Matthew Wai]

Because the speaker has yet to begin the show.

Not a teacher.

 

[captain1]

Hello, Thank you!

but in present progressive we can talk about the future: I am taking my driving test tomorrow.

the action has yet to begin the action of doing the test.

so there is 2 situations:
1)its happening now.
2) its not happening now.

so how to know if to use present simple(as you told me) or present progressive because the action has yet to begin?

Thank you

 

[Matthew Wai]

'I am taking a test tomorrow. I will eat something before I take the test.'
I would not say 'before I am taking the test'.

Not a teacher.

 

[captain1]

can you say why? please

 

[Matthew Wai]

Because the simple present is used to express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as, until, according to http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/present_simple.php

Not a teacher.

 

[captain1]

I have another question. the difference between present progressive and simple.

this example is from the website:

1. For fixed arrangements
   His mother arrives tomorrow.
   Our holiday starts on the 26th March

Can I say: His mother is arriving tomorrow? what is the difference between His mother arrives tomorrow to is arriving tomorrow? and our holiday is starting to holiday starts?


because this is a temporary situation! the mother for ex.. is coming and after that we can't know if she would come again. maybe the sentence needs to be in present progressive.

Thank you,

 

[captain1]

please let me understand

 

[Rover_KE]

Can you say why, please?

Please let me understand.

Please get into the habit of using correct capitalisation and punctuation.

 

[captain1]

Please get into the habit of using correct capitalisation and punctuation.

Hello, ok. But can you give me an answer?

 

[Rover_KE]

There is no effective difference between 'His mother arrives tomorrow' and 'His mother is arriving tomorrow'.

They both mean 'His mother is expected to arrive tomorrow unless some unforeseen event occurs to prevent it'.

The same applies to your other example.

 

[Matthew Wai]

ok

Not a teacher.
'OK' should be capitalized.

 

[captain1]

Hello, Thank you.

I have another question: when do we need to use the combination of was+ed?
for example: John Kennedy was murdered by the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.

So whats the affaction of was+ed?

Thanks

 

[MikeNewYork]

That sentence is in the passive voice. There is no English word "affaction". "Affection" is the closest, but that doesn't fit.

 

[Matthew Wai]

was+ed

You may say 'was + past participle' instead.

Not a teacher.

 

[captain1]

Can you explain why please?

 

[Matthew Wai]

Because 'murdered' is the past participle of 'murder'.
The past participle is used to form the passive voice.

Not a teacher.

 

[captain1]

Hey, Thanks, I understand but why to add the word "was" with ed, why not to leave the word murdered alone?

 

[captain1]

That sentence is in the passive voice. There is no English word "affaction". "Affection" is the closest, but that doesn't fit.

Affect, sorry