Meaning & use
not in the present
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Not happening or existing at this moment; belonging to another time.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb or as an adverbial phrase: The action is not in the present.
Patterns
- be not in the present
- something is not in the present
The story is not in the present; it takes place a hundred years ago.
Her mind was not in the present during the meeting, so she missed the key point.
The problems we discussed are not in the present, but they may return later.
phrasefixed phrase
Not focused on what is happening now; thinking about the past or future.
Grammar: Often used with verbs like live or be: He is not in the present.
Patterns
- live not in the present
- be not in the present
After the accident, he was not in the present and kept talking about his childhood.
You cannot solve today's problems if your mind is not in the present.
Common combinations
- not in the present tense
- The verb 'will go' is not in the present tense.
- not in the present moment
- She felt not in the present moment during the meditation.
- not in the present day
- That custom is not in the present day; it belongs to the past.
- not in the present situation
- The rule is not in the present situation, so you can ignore it.
Synonyms and how they differ
- not now
- More direct and informal; it means 'not at this exact time', while 'not in the present' is broader and more formal.
- not current
- Describes something that is out of date, not necessarily about time focus.
Opposites
Commonly confused: not in the present or not present?
not in the present vs not present
'Not present' means someone or something is absent from a place. 'Not in the present' means not related to the current time.
Practice
The novel is set in the 1800s, so the action is ______.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'not in the present' when talking about time. 'Not on the present' is wrong because 'on' is not used with 'present' in this meaning; 'not at the present' is ungrammatical; 'not for the present' would mean 'not for now', which does not fit the past setting.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “not in the present”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.