4 ms·

No, lis is right. Germany is stopping problems right now. It's valid because it's vague enough to refer to this year, this month, etc. Also, your sentence > Y

by topkek 13y ago

No, lis is right. Germany is stopping problems right now. It's valid because it's vague enough to refer to this year, this month, etc. Also, your sentence > Yes, because we actually stop at them! > stop at them! > at them! Muphry's law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphry%27s_Law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphry%27s_Law

fit2rule 13y ago
The sentence: "yes, because we are actually stopping at them" is in reference to the subject: "the traffic lights". The originator of the sentence was intending to convey the meaning that Germans - in general - stop at the traffic lights, whereas non-Germans, generally, do not. Ask yourself this question: Are they stopping at the traffic lights right now in the present-progessive sense? Is the speaker talking about doing this 'right now'? http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/pres_pro.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/pres_pro.htm .. or is it .. in the Simple Present form? http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/simple_present_form.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/simple_present_form...
- michaelmior 13y ago
  Based on your link, use number 4 of the present progressive fits the OP's original statement: "actions happening around the moment of speaking (longer actions)"
  - fit2rule 13y ago
    In that case, the sentence would be properly formed thus: "The Germans do stop at traffic lights. Non-Germans, do not." Notice the difference? Final Edit: the German-formed sentence I was correcting: "Yes, because we (Germans) are actually stopping at them!" .. becomes: "Yes, because we (Germans) do actually stop at them." Now, we can certainly look at the downvotes I've earned as a result of my personal foul use of language, but for the German-native speakers who make this mistake, it makes a huge difference in how well they are, actually, understood by English visitors. Please re-read, and see for yourself.
    - PavlovsCat 13y ago
      This is off-off-topic, but I wish forums allowed users to state that they would be happy to have their grammar and spelling corrected by ticking a checkbox, and that every comment could have a sub-discussion just for that, on its own page. That would be useful, or? (<-- joke :P) Because otherwise whatever you do, it's wrong: making a correction makes you seem like a jerk, and not making a correction makes you feel like a jerk (because you know something they don't, and you're not sharing it).

by topkek 13y ago

fit2rule 13y ago

The sentence: "yes, because we are actually stopping at them" is in reference to the subject: "the traffic lights". The originator of the sentence was intending to convey the meaning that Germans - in general - stop at the traffic lights, whereas non-Germans, generally, do not. Ask yourself this question: Are they stopping at the traffic lights right now in the present-progessive sense? Is the speaker talking about doing this 'right now'? http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/pres_pro.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/pres_pro.htm .. or is it .. in the Simple Present form? http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/simple_present_form.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/simple_present_form...

michaelmior 13y ago
Based on your link, use number 4 of the present progressive fits the OP's original statement: "actions happening around the moment of speaking (longer actions)"
- fit2rule 13y ago
  In that case, the sentence would be properly formed thus: "The Germans do stop at traffic lights. Non-Germans, do not." Notice the difference? Final Edit: the German-formed sentence I was correcting: "Yes, because we (Germans) are actually stopping at them!" .. becomes: "Yes, because we (Germans) do actually stop at them." Now, we can certainly look at the downvotes I've earned as a result of my personal foul use of language, but for the German-native speakers who make this mistake, it makes a huge difference in how well they are, actually, understood by English visitors. Please re-read, and see for yourself.
  - PavlovsCat 13y ago
    This is off-off-topic, but I wish forums allowed users to state that they would be happy to have their grammar and spelling corrected by ticking a checkbox, and that every comment could have a sub-discussion just for that, on its own page. That would be useful, or? (<-- joke :P) Because otherwise whatever you do, it's wrong: making a correction makes you seem like a jerk, and not making a correction makes you feel like a jerk (because you know something they don't, and you're not sharing it).