Students can easily confuse the simple
present with present progressive (현재진행형). I’ve seen this
quite often with a verb, think: I think or I’m thinking. What’s the difference?
One difference is the kind of thinking. If you want to talk about your opinion, use I think. That’s the simple present. For example, “I think this is a funny movie.”, “I think this is a very good magazine!” “I think it’s very difficult to write in Korean!” When you use think to talk about opinion, you can simple say (1. _____________ ) ~. [see screen]
But if you’re talking about the process of thinking and think means
something close to (2. _______, _______, ______), then you need to use present
progressive.
I am thinking ~. For example, I might say, we are thinking of
taking a trip to
So in those examples, the difference was
kind of thinking. Again, opinion
requires I think, the simple present. The
process of thinking require the present progressive, I am thinking. Another difference is time. If you’re talking time in general, use the simple
present, I think. For example, let’s say,
I’m writing to my friend, and I write, Hello Tracy, I just want to let you know
that I think of you often. I’m sorry I
haven’t written for a while. I think of
you often, so I think about her a lot, thoughts of her are in my mind all the
time or in general. [see screen]
But, consider this example, my friend
is in the hospital, I pick up the phone and I say, “Hi, how are you?’ I’m
thinking of you. I want to let my friend
know that right now, today, thoughts of her are in my mind. [see
screen]
OK, let’s review those differences. [see
screen]
Here is the final note on grammar. Do we say I think that? I think of?
And I think about? Let’s talk
about those differences. [see screen]
Let’s try an exercise! [see
screen]
Read the dialogue your self and then I
will tell you the answer. [see screen]
OK, Thanks for watching, Happy Studies!