Session 3, Activity 3
Activity 3 – understanding the difference between simple and present continuous tense in English in relation to another foreign language
Follow the three steps below.
Step 1
Enter the following sentences into OMT for a French/German/Spanish translation:
- She drives a car.
- She is driving a car.
- He lives with his parents.
- He is living with his parents.
Step 2
Read and analyse the translated sentences.
Comment
In Spanish, the continuous aspect is usually expressed using the simple present or present progressive forms with estar + gerund (e.g. estoy leyendo).
In French, the continuous aspect is usually expressed using the simple present or expressions like être en train de + infinitive.
In German, the simple present tense is typically used for both continuous and simple present meanings, but expressions like gerade (just/now) or dabei sein zu (to be in the process of) can also be used to convey an ongoing action.
Step 3
Translate the French/German/Spanish sentences back into English using OMT.
Do the translations retain the original tense (simple/continuous) or are there are discrepancies?
Discussion
This activity encouraged you to compare translations critically using practical applications of language learning, enhancing your ability to spot and correct errors. By using OMT to explore these and similar grammatical differences, you can gain a deeper understanding of both languages, improve your translation skills, and enhance your overall language proficiency.
From the examples, you can see that French, German and Spanish do not have a direct equivalent of the English present continuous tense. This activity should have helped you to understand how continuous actions are expressed in French, German and Spanish compared to English, aiding in the comprehension of tense usage across the languages.
You should now also be able to recognise how to use tenses and expressions appropriately in different contexts.
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