at present
at present — idiom
1. during the period that is happening right now, rather than in the past or the fu
during the period that is happening right now, rather than in the past or the future.
At present, Faisal is studying for his final exams in the library.
At present, + present continuous clause
The factory employs about two hundred local workers at present.
clause + at present (end position)
We have no plans to raise prices at present, the manager told reporters.
At present, the bridge is closed while engineers check it for cracks.
Mayumi lives in Osaka at present, but she hopes to move to Kyoto.
- currently
neutral and very common; fits both spoken and written English
- at the moment
more informal; common in everyday speech
- for now
stresses that the situation is temporary and may soon change
- in the past
refers to an earlier time that has already finished
- in the future
refers to a time that has not happened yet
文法句型
At present, + clause
clause + at present
be + at present + adjective/verb-ing
用法筆記
More formal than 'now' or 'at the moment'; common in news reports, business updates, and official statements. Often signals that the situation could change later, so it pairs naturally with a contrast about the future.
常見錯誤
Incorrect: 'In present the office is closed.' Correct: 'At present the office is closed.' — the fixed phrase always uses 'at', not 'in'.
Incorrect: 'At present time we cannot help.' Correct: 'At present we cannot help.' — do not add 'time' after 'at present'; use 'at the present time' if you want the longer form.