tenses with 'these days' and 'lately"

[Verona_82]

Hello,

I wonder if the sentences below mean more or less the same thing:

(1) I'm enjoying shopping on my own these days.
(2) I've been enjoying shopping on my own lately.
(3) I've been enjoying shopping on my own over the last few months.

Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello,

I wonder if the sentences below mean more or less the same thing:

(1) I'm enjoying shopping on my own these days.
(2) I've been enjoying shopping on my own lately.
(3) I've been enjoying shopping on my own over the last few months.

Thank you.

2 and 3, yes. Sentence 1 is somewhat unnatural although not impossible. I would prefer "I enjoy shopping on my own these days".

 

[Verona_82]

Thank you! If I replace 'enjoy' with a non-progressive verb, say, 'like', I'll end up with a natural sounding sentence, won't I?

(2) I've liked shopping on my own lately

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you! If I replace 'enjoy' with a non-progressive verb, say, 'like', I'll end up with a natural sounding sentence, won't I?

(2) I've liked shopping on my own lately

No. That's worse than the original. Generally we like something or we don't. We rarely say that we "have liked" something (unless you're talking about a Facebook "Like").

 

[Verona_82]

... or a UsingEnglish 'like"
Does that mean this idea is impossible to convey using 'like' and 'lately' / 'over the last..." and it's better to use 'these days"?

 

[5jj]

No. That's worse than the original. Generally we like something or we don't. We rarely say that we "have liked" something (unless you're talking about a Facebook "Like").

This is one of the rare occasions I disagree with ems.

I have liked George since I first met him.
I have liked him more recently.
I have liked shopping on my own lately.

In my opinion, the first two are completely natural. I would be more likely to use 'enjoyed' than 'liked' in the third, but I think it's OK as it is.