What is the difference between "make" and "making"?

[afet]

what is the difference between "make" and "making" in these 2 sentences:


1. My new Facebook header image makes me want an ice cream.
2. My new Facebook header image is making me want an ice cream.


Thanks.

 

[MikeNewYork]

what is the difference between "make" and "making" in these 2 sentences:


1. My new Facebook header image makes me want an ice cream.
2. My new Facebook header image is making me want an ice cream.


Thanks.

Both versions are acceptable, and they have the same meaning.

 

[afet]

Thank you, sir.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you, sir.

1. There is no need to write a new post to say "Thank you". Just click the Like button on a post you found helpful.
2. Do not address users here as "Sir" (or any other salutation). It is unnecessary and you have no way of knowing (in most cases) whether a response has been written by a man or a woman.

 

[Raymott]

what is the difference between "make" and "making" in these 2 sentences:


1. My new Facebook header image makes me want an ice cream.
2. My new Facebook header image is making me want an ice cream.


Thanks.

The first uses the simple present tense, and the second uses the present progressive (continuous). There is always a possible meaning difference, and you should study the usage of these two tenses - then you will be able to understand the difference between any two of an infinite number of sentences in which this is the only difference.
Naturally, if there was no difference generally, we would not use two tenses.
One possible difference is that, with the simple present, you mean that whenever you look at the picture, you want ice cream. The use of the progressive is stating that you are now looking at the image, and you are now wanting an ice cream.

 

[EnglishFellow]

The first uses the simple present tense, and the second uses the present progressive (continuous). There is always a possible meaning difference, and you should study the usage of these two tenses - then you will be able to understand the difference between any two of an infinite number of sentences in which this is the only difference.
Naturally, if there was no difference generally, we would not use two tenses.
One possible difference is that, with the simple present, you mean that whenever you look at the picture, you want ice cream. The use of the progressive is stating that you are now looking at the image, and you are now wanting an ice cream.

Agreed, there is quite a marked difference between the two sentences -- whether or not this is intentional.

Take another example:

"Alcohol makes me feel sick" is a general comment that implies a long-term, ongoing condition. "Alcohol is making me feel sick" implies that there is normally no problem drinking alcohol, but just at the moment there is (perhaps due to current medication, perhaps).

It can be a tricky one to grasp, particularly for non-native English speakers, as in most foreign languages (that I'm aware of) there is no such distinction.