tenses

[hewber]

Thanks for reading my thread.

i) I didn't expect you to come. It was a big surprise.
ii) I was not expecting you to come. It was a big surprise.

There is no big difference between 1 and 2, isn't there? if any, is it a slight difference?


a. My car wouldn't start this morning. (refer to the past)
b. My car will not start tomorrow. (refer to the future)
c. My car cannot start now. (refer to the present)
d. My car is not starting now. (refer to the present)
e. My car is not starting again. (refer to the present)

I can accept from (a) to (c), but I do not know why (d) & (e) also correct ?
shouldn't it be as follow?
My car does not start now.

 

[albertino]

Thanks for reading my thread.

i) I didn't expect you to come. It was a big surprise.
ii) I was not expecting you to come. It was a big surprise.

There is no big difference between 1 and 2, isn't there? if any, is it a slight difference?


a. My car wouldn't start this morning. (refer to the past)(The remark is made in the afternoon)
b. My car will not start tomorrow. (refer to the future)(a prediction)
c. My car cannot start now. (refer to the present)(Maybe a permanent state)
d. My car is not starting now. (refer to the present)(a state that happens at the time of speaking or it refers to a temporary state only.)
e. My car is not starting again. (refer to the present)(same as (d))

I can accept from (a) to (c), but I do not know why (d) & (e) also correct ?
shouldn't it be as follow?
My car does not start now.

(Not a teacher)

 

[Raymott]

Thanks for reading my thread.

i) I didn't expect you to come. It was a big surprise.
ii) I was not expecting you to come. It was a big surprise.

There is no big difference between 1 and 2, is there? if any, is it a slight difference?
"There is no big difference." = "There is not a big difference."
The "no" makes this a negative sentence for the purpose of tags.
That's right - they mean pretty much the same.

a. My car wouldn't start this morning. (refer to the past)
b. My car will not start tomorrow. (refer to the future)
c. My car won't (will not) start now. (refer to the present)
No matter what I try, it won't start.
d. My car is not starting now. (refer to the present)
e. My car is not starting again. (refer to the present)

I can accept from (a) to (c), but I do not know why (d) & (e) also correct ?
"My car isn't starting" is an odd sentence. We would normally say, "My car won't start".
But what you've written is simply the progressive form of the verb.

shouldn't it be as follow?
My car does not start now.
No, in general, we use the progressive tense for something that is happening now, and the simple present for habitual actions.
I'm watching TV (now). I watch TV (every night).

R.