I am studying Englsh every day. | The Grammar Exchange

quote:

“I used to play once a week in nightclubs, but now I’m playing every night.”

This sentence doesn’t imply that “playing every night” is temporary activity.

Well, Dzzz, as a repeated activity or habit, it could be either temporary or long-lasting. The point is that the present progressive places the focus on the present “moment.”

Q: What are you doing (right now)?
A: I’m eating a doughnut.

Q: What are you doing (right now)?
A: I’m playing in nightclubs.

As those two examples illustrate, “now” — even “right now” — is flexible. It can be the moment of speech, or it can be much broader, e.g.: “They are letting water out of the dam every year.” Let’s contrast these:

(A) They let water out of the dam every year.
(B) They have been letting water out of the dam every year.
(C) They are letting water out of the dam every year.

Sentence (A) conveys a permanent (or firmly established) habit, (B) conveys a temporary habit, and (C) tells us what the current habit is. The focus of (C) is on the “now” — on what the present yearly habit is, regardless of the past or future.

If I heard someone use (C), my natural assumption would be that they didn’t use(d) to (a controversial construction!) let water out of the dam every year, that they recently started doing so, and that it is unknown whether the habit will continue.

I would interpret the sentences “I am studying English every day” and “I am playing in nightclubs every night” in the same manner. With regard to the first sentence, my natural response would be “Good for you!” Perhaps you used to study English only twice a week.

We want this new habit to continue, but we don’t know whether it will (not from your sentence anyway). If you want to convey that this is an established habit (one that is bound to continue, even if you haven’t had the habit for very long) use “I study English every day” instead.

Well, Dzzz, as a repeated activity or habit, it could be either temporary or long-lasting. The point is that the present progressive places the focus on the present “moment.”As those two examples illustrate, “now” — even “right now” — is flexible. It can be the moment of speech, or it can be much broader, e.g.: “They are letting water out of the dam every year.” Let’s contrast these:Sentence (A) conveys a permanent (or firmly established) habit, (B) conveys a temporary habit, and (C) tells us what the current habit is. The focus of (C) is on the “now” — on what the present yearly habit is, regardless of the past or future.If I heard someone use (C), my natural assumption would be that they(a controversial construction!) let water out of the dam every year, that they recently started doing so, and that it is unknown whether the habit will continue.I would interpret the sentences “I am studying English every day” and “I am playing in nightclubs every night” in the same manner. With regard to the first sentence, my natural response would be “Good for you!” Perhaps you used to study English only twice a week.We want this new habit to continue, but we don’t know whether it will (not from your sentence anyway). If you want to convey that this is an established habit (one that is bound to continue, even if you haven’t had the habit for very long) use “I study English every day” instead.