Subject: How to define a 'present action'?

A present action seems to be very basic knowledge, but it is most puzzling.
May someone kindly tell me, how to define a present action?

Shun
englishtense.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Geoff Layton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: Grammar and Literature -- Help Please


> At 09:02 PM 6/14/01 -0400, you wrote:
> >>>>
> Geoff,  I was under the impression that not all grammarians believed that
> grammar  instruction will improve writing, and that many of those who were
> "consumed"  with the belief were reacting to the NCTE anti-grammar stance.
> At least  I don't have to defend it as writing process, which I know will
> get me in  trouble with the masses.
>
> I wanted to change that "consumed" line, but failed to do so.  I guess I
> was trying to get across the point that many people (like me), who think
> grammar is important, can't quite accept the "anti-grammar" position, even
> though years of research and in my case personal experience tell us
> otherwise.  Peraps quixotically, I do want to defend grammar as being
> helpful to the writing process, all the while not getting myself in
trouble
> with "the masses."
>
> I have found that the only way to connect grammar with writing is to
> de-emphasize the definitions and teach instead the usage and usage in a
> very particular way - namely, having my students learn how writers create
> meaning.  It seems to me that writers create meaning - and, similarly,
> readers create meaning from writing - only by using grammatical
> constructions that can be taught, but do not necessarily have to be named
> and analyzed.  To continue with the tool analogy, you don't have to know
> that a drill is called a drill in order to use it, although if you use one
> enough you'll probably want to find out.
>
> This is where I have come up with what I call my "sentence stuffing" idea
> (I'm working on a book!) that requires students to use specific
grammatical
> constructs to create meaning - again, the "crying baby" sentence is the
one
> I start with.  Once a student gets going, all of a sudden dependent
> clauses, prepositional phrases, appositives, adjectives and adverbs are
> flying all over the place - all used correctly even by the most marginal
> students.
>
> I now have hope that English teachers, just like the Washington
> politicians, can finally stop our bickering and have a bipartisan
agreement
> on the value of grammar!
>
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