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What is At the moment in English? Which tense uses At the moment in English?

At the moment is a phrase that appears frequently in English. We all know that At the moment indicates the present continuous tense. However, are there any synonyms for At the moment in English? In today's article, let's explore the answer to this question together with PREP!

I. What is Moment? What is At the moment in English?
II. Which tense uses At the moment in English?
III. Synonyms for At the moment in English
IV. Distinguishing At the moment, At present, At once, and Just now
V. Distinguishing At the moment, In the moment, For the moment, and In a moment
VI. Exercises on using At the moment in English
1. 1. Exercises
2. 2. Answer
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I. What is Moment? What is At the moment in English?

In English, Moment is pronounced as /ˈmoʊ.mənt/ and functions as a noun with its meaning: a very brief period of time. For example:

Can you wait a moment?
When would be the best moment to tell the family?

At the moment acts as an adverb of time, meaning: at this particular time; now. For example:

Sorry, Anna is not here at the moment.
Jack is not dating anyone at the moment.

II. Which tense uses At the moment in English?

At the moment is an adverb of time and is often used to express an action or state that is happening at the time of speaking. It commonly appears in the present continuous tense. For example:

Anna is thinking about her job at the moment.
Children are not going to school at the moment.

Which tense uses At the moment in English?

III. Synonyms for At the moment in English

Let's compile a list of synonyms for At the moment in English with PREP below!

Synonyms for At the moment in English	Example
Right now /raɪt naʊ/	I'm in the middle of something right now, can I call you back later?
At present /æt ˈprɛzənt/	At present, our company is undergoing some restructuring.
Presently /ˈprɛzantli/	Presently, Jack is occupied with his studies and cannot take on any additional tasks.
Currently /ˈkɜrentli/	Currently, we are not accepting new orders due to high demand.
For the moment /fɔr ðə ˈmoʊmənt/	I'm not interested in buying anything for the moment, thank you.
In this moment /ɪn ðɪs ˈmoʊmənt/	In this moment, we need to focus on finding a solution to the problem.
At this time /æt ðɪs taɪm/	We're unable to assist you at this time, but please check back later.
At present time /æt ˈprɛzənt taɪm/	The store is closed at present time, please come back during business hours.
At this moment in time /æt ðɪs ˈmoʊmənt ɪn taɪm/	At this moment in time, we are not able to provide an update on the situation.
At the current time /æt ðə ˈkɜrənt taɪm/	At the current time, we are experiencing technical difficulties with our website.

IV. Distinguishing At the moment, At present, At once, and Just now

Do At the moment, At present, At once, and Just now have the same usage? Let's find out with PREP below!

	Usage	Example
At the moment = Right now	Expressing the current moment, indicating an action or state happening at the time of speaking.	Sorry, Smith can't talk right now; He is busy at the moment.
At present	Expressing the current moment, having a similar meaning to "at the moment," but often used in writing.	At present, our company is not accepting new staff.
At once = Right away	Immediately, quickly, without delay.	Please complete this assignment at once.
Just now	Expressing a recent short moment, often referring to a moment not long ago.	I saw Peter just now, he was leaving the building.

V. Distinguishing At the moment, In the moment, For the moment, and In a moment

Can At the moment be used interchangeably with In the moment, For the moment, and In a moment? Let's find out with PREP below!

	Usage	Example
At the moment	Expressing the current moment, indicating an action or state happening at the time of speaking.	Jennie is not here at the moment.
In the moment	Expressing focusing or living in the present moment, to deeply enjoy and experience a moment.	When Lisa was dancing, she was completely in the moment.
For the moment	Expressing a moment in the near future or a temporary state that may change afterward.	We'll have to wait for the moment until the rain stops before we can go outside.
In a moment	Expressing a moment in the near future, often referring to a short moment, typically a few seconds or minutes.	I'll be with you in a moment, I just need to finish this email.

VI. Exercises on using At the moment in English

To further understand the concept and usage of At the moment in English, let's complete the following exercises with PREP!

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in At the moment; In the moment; For the moment; In a moment in the appropriate blank.

Sorry, I can't help you with that task _______, I'm already working on something else.
As she stood on stage, the actress was completely lost _______, delivering her lines with passion and emotion.
Let's just enjoy this quiet moment _______ before things get busy again.
I'll be with you _______, I just need to finish this phone call.

Exercise 2: Conjugate the verbs in brackets

Jennie_____(play) tennis with her friend at the moment.
At the moment, Anna_____(draw) a beautiful picture.
At the moment, Jack_____(help) her grandparents with housework.
Lona_____(do) her assignment at the moment.
Mona_____(have) a buffet with her family in a restaurant at the moment.

2. Answer

Exercise 1	Exercise 2
At the moment In the moment For the moment In a moment	is playing is drawing is helping is doing is having

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Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.