Grammar

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lenalekka
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Grammar

Unread post by lenalekka »

Would it be right to say "I'm working all morning" instead of "I've been working all morning"?
hojjat
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Re: Grammar

Unread post by hojjat »

Both of them express duration of the action.
If you want to say that subject is working all days in morning and it is a repeated action, the first choice is better.
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Susan
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Re: Grammar

Unread post by Susan »

The first refers to the future. The second is the present perfect continuous and so refers to an action started in the past that continues now.
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cerealkillah
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Re: Grammar

Unread post by cerealkillah »

I wouldn't be so sure about the future reference. Present continuous ("I'm working" can refer to the future but to me it isn't the case here). I think it is present situation that is described. What about the difference? Let me quote my grammar guru ;) Michael Swan
Both the present perfect progressive and the present (simple or progressive) can be used to talk about situations which started in the past and are still going on. The difference is that the present perfect progressive has an 'up to now' focus. It is common when we are talking about situations which are just coming to an end or may change, or when we are talking about how long a situation has lasted.
I hear you're working at Smiths.
Yes, I've been working there for about three months
"

However, as always, the context matters.

As for what hojjat wrote, if we want to express something that is repeated we would use present simple (I work all mornings) unless we want to show that we hate this situation. For example "I'm always losing my keys."
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Susan
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Re: Grammar

Unread post by Susan »

How about this?

Can we meet next Monday morning?
No, I'm working all morning.

It could also refer to the present.
That's the problem with phrases out of context.
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cerealkillah
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Re: Grammar

Unread post by cerealkillah »

Susan wrote: That's the problem with phrases out of context
Couldn't agree more :)
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