[Grammar] 'Where do we go now'? - why is this sentence in Present Simple?

[marker]

Why do we use Present Simple instead of Present Continuous in:

'Where do we go now?'
'What do we do now?'

Thanks for your explanation

 

[charliedeut]

What is the context? That will most likely help you get useful answers.

 

[SoothingDave]

Sweet Child O' Mine Music Video - YouTube

Could be Guns N' Roses.

 

[charliedeut]

It could for the first ("where do we go now"), but not for the second, as far as I can remember.

 

[marker]

It could for the first ("where do we go now"), but not for the second, as far as I can remember.

It's dark. We're lost. What do we do now?

 

[bhaisahab]

It's dark. We're lost. What do we do now?

What is it that you don't understand about those sentences.

 

[marker]

What is it that you don't understand about those sentences.

It's dark. We're lost. Where do we go now? What do we do now?

In these sentences they are talking about their plans/intentions. I don't understand why Present Simple is used instead of Present Continuous.
Both tenses can be used to talk about plans but in grammar books it's stated we use Present Simple when we talk about fixed plans/arrangements (like in timetables etc.) and Present Continuous when we talk about plans for the near future, they can change. Moreover, in the sentence above there's 'now' - a time expression used with Present Continuous. So why P Simple instead of P Continuous is used here? Is there any logical explanation?

 

[MikeNewYork]

It's dark. We're lost. Where do we go now? What do we do now?

In these sentences they are talking about their plans/intentions. I don't understand why Present Simple is used instead of Present Continuous.
Both tenses can be used to talk about plans but in grammar books it's stated we use Present Simple when we talk about fixed plans/arrangements (like in timetables etc.) and Present Continuous when we talk about plans for the near future, they can change. Moreover, in the sentence above there's 'now' - a time expression used with Present Continuous. So why P Simple instead of P Continuous is used here? Is there any logical explanation?

The present continuous wouldn't work there. They have reached a point where they don't know what to do or where to go. They are not doing anything or going anywhere. The present simple is the best choice. The future could also work.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's dark. We're lost. Where do we go now? What do we do now?

In these sentences they are talking about their plans/intentions. I don't understand why Present Simple is used instead of Present Continuous.
Both tenses can be used to talk about plans but in grammar books it's stated we use Present Simple when we talk about fixed plans/arrangements (like in timetables etc.) and Present Continuous when we talk about plans for the near future, they can change. Moreover, in the sentence above there's 'now' - a time expression used with Present Continuous. So why P Simple instead of P Continuous is used here? Is there any logical explanation?

There is a different sense here. "What do we do now?" is a plea more than a question. It is about knowing that we don't know what to do.

Say you walk out of a shop and your car is missing. You're miles from home and your phone was in your car.

You don't ask "what are we doing now?"

You ask "What do we do now?"

 

[marker]

The present continuous wouldn't work there. They have reached a point where they don't know what to do or where to go. They are not doing anything or going anywhere. The present simple is the best choice. The future could also work.

But what about rules? What about logic? I know that using any language is to some extent very intuitive but the more often I speak English the more often I am confused.

 

[MikeNewYork]

But what about rules? What about logic? I know that using any language is to some extent very intuitive but the more often I speak English the more often I am confused.

English is tough. And "rules'will not always solve your problems. See Soothing Dave's comments. We have both tried to explain the logic of the construction.

 

[marker]

There is a different sense here. "What do we do now?" is a plea more than a question. It is about knowing that we don't know what to do.

Say you walk out of a shop and your car is missing. You're miles from home and your phone was in your car.

You don't ask "what are we doing now?"

You ask "What do we do now?"

Oh my goodness, so it's rather a plea. Looking for answers in grammar books doesn't always make sense, they seem to be incomplete

 

[marker]

English is tough. And "rules'will not always solve your problems. See Soothing Dave's comments. We have both tried to explain the logic of the construction.

Thank you Mike You and Soothing Dave have done your best to explain the problem to me I really appreciate your help. I wish English was less tough. To be honest I don't find it fun any more. What a shame ...

 

[bhaisahab]

Thank you Mike You and Soothing Dave have done your best to explain the problem to me I really appreciate your help. I wish English was less tough. To be honest I don't find it fun any more. What a shame ...

All languages are difficult to learn.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you Mike You and Soothing Dave have done your best to explain the problem to me I really appreciate your help. I wish English was less tough. To be honest I don't find it fun any more. What a shame ...

Keep working at it, marker. You will get better each day.

 

[marker]

Keep working at it, marker. You will get better each day.

I hope so

I've reached the stage at which I know most of the rules of English grammar but as I'm discovering more and more exceptions to them, I'm getting a little bit frustrated and discouraged


Sorry for being off-topic.

Good night

 

[5jj]

A thought:

'Where are we going now' can suggest:
1. a previous arrangement has been made.

'Where do we go now can suggest:
2. In such situations as this, what do we normally do?
3. What is on the scheduled programme at this point?

Note that it is rather difficult to find a real difference in meaning between #1 and #3. Course books and student grammars that try to explain the difference between the various tenses and aspects generally do a reasonably good job, but there are situations in which two or more tenses/aspects could be appropriate. The one chosen just happens to fit what is in the speaker's moment at the time of uttering it.

There is also the point that song writers are often more interested in the flow of sounds than in the pedant's view of what tense should be used in a classroom situation.