Dear shun,
Quote:
<(For the time being, shall we skip the difference between Simple Present and
Present Progressive for a while?)>

There's no need to skip the difference as I feel you've just defined it.

<"Most confusing, 'present time' seems endless, but present action has to have
an end..">
To my mind
Simple would be what seems 'endless present time' and
Progressive, the present action which 'has to have an end..'
e.g.
It's quarter past two and they're feeding the lions at the Zoo - Let's go...
They feed the lions at quarter past two every day. Let's go tomorrow.

What do others think?
Or have I misunderstood you

shun Tang wrote:

> How to define a 'present action'?
>
> My reason why I ask is, if we can define it, we may explain the Simple
> Present tense.
> (For the time being, shall we skip the difference between Simple Present and
> Present Progressive for a while?)
> A present action seems to be very basic knowledge, but it is most puzzling.
> We would say that, logically, the present action happens at the present.
> Since the present time is moving continually, however, it is totally
> uncertain. So, a present action is very hard to define.
>
> Most confusing, 'present time' seems endless, but present action has to have
> an end. Therefore, a present time is different to a present action.
>
> How do English native speakers split the nuance? Or does the present action
> have nothing to do with Simple Present tense at all?
>
> Shun
> englishtense.com
>
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