Feedback & Next Issue
Your letters to Spotlight and upcoming topics
Dear Ms Sharp
Many years ago, at school, I learned: if you live most of the time in New York, you say: “I live in New York.” If you are there for only two weeks, you say: “I’m staying in New York.”
Americans who live in New York often say: “I’m living in New York.” Not correct, but they say it. What do you say?
Best regards
Florian Zahner, by e-mail
Dear Florian
Thank you for your e-mail. You are right: if a person lives in New York permanently, it is correct to use the present simple and say: “I live in New York.”
Also correct is that we use the present continuous to talk about temporary situations: “I’m staying in New York with my brother.”
Language, though, is always changing and the use of tenses such as present simple versus present continuous is more fluid than it used to be. So, if someone who lives permanently in New
York says, “I’m living in New York,” that is also correct.
Where does that leave the language learner? My advice is to learn the rules, but be aware that they will be broken by native speakers.
I hope that helps.
Inez Sharp, editor-in-chief
Dear Spotlight team
Thank you for the beautiful magazines. I often use them for teaching, but also for my private entertainment.
I got confused on page 55 of issue 2/20. The last tip says: “You can say that’s half
the fun about something that makes whatever you are doing even more enjoyable.”
I think it should read “less enjoyable”, shouldn’t it?
Kind regards
Erika Steiger, by e-mail
Dear Ms Steiger
Thank you for your e-mail. We are very happy to hear that you enjoy using
Spotlight for your lessons and like reading the magazine at home, too.
I understand the confusion about the expression “that’s half the fun”. It sounds negative, but, in fact, it does have a positive meaning. If I say, for example, “I enjoy running and being outside is half the fun”, that means that a large part of my enjoyment comes from being in the open air. (Laufen macht mir Spaß und noch dazu bin ich an der frischen Luft.)
I hope that explains the phrase.
Inez Sharp, editor-in-chief