Tenses in captions and photo/picture descriptions

[kadioguy]

Here is my understanding:

1. Captions (in a newspaper or something like that) are often in the present simple. If they are in the present progressive, they would indicate that the activity is ongoing at the time the reader is reading about it.

2. When we describe a photo/picture, we often use the present progressive (to indicate what is happening in it). If we use the present simple, it would mean that someone in the photo/picture does something regularly.

Does that sound correct?

Edit: Improved content.

 

[Tarheel]

It's close enough.

 

[kadioguy]

1. Captions (in a newspaper or something like that) are often in the present simple. If they are in the present progressive, they would indicate that the activity is ongoing at the time the reader is reading about it.

2. When we describe a photo/picture, we often use the present progressive (to indicate what is happening in it). If we use the present simple, it would mean that someone in the photo/picture does something regularly.

Please look at the red text above. Does it look okay to you? I mean, there could be four possible arrangements in each sentence. which one(s) would you accept?

If they are/were in the present progressive, they X/would indicate(s) that the activity is ongoing at the time the reader is reading about it.

If we use/used the present simple, it X/would mean(s) that someone in the photo/picture does something regularly.

 

[tedmc]

Look at them as conditionals. The present form of a condition is followed by the present (zero conditional) or future tense (first conditional) of the result. The past form of a condition is followed by would + base verb (second conditional) as the result.

See here.

 

[kadioguy]

Look at them as conditionals. The present form of a condition is followed by the present (zero conditional) or future tense (first conditional) of the result. The past form of a condition is followed by would + base verb (second conditional) as the result.

See here.

Grammatically, yes, but native speakers mix them in authentic English. An example is this:

emsr2d2:
Well spotted! I think I started the sentence intending to use "If you use ..., we will wonder why ...". After starting it, I changed my mind but I didn't think to go back and change the beginning. Trust me when I say that native speakers do this all the time. Most people, both speaker and listener, wouldn't notice.

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/please-note-that.284094/post-1651715