So, "The company's meetings are scheduled" means "someone schedules them (regularly)" or "someone is scheduling them (right now)"?

We all know that simple present tense shows Routine Actions such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens (Source)

Eg: I schedule the company's meetings (a routine action, maybe happen regularly every month)

Now, its passive form: The company's meetings are scheduled (by me) (a routine action)

But "scheduled" is also an adjective. So we can say "a scheduled meeting".

In addition, We also know that Non-Continuous Verbs or Stative verbs used in Simple Present to express an action is happening or is not happening now (Source)

Eg: I am here now = I am staying here now.

So, The company's meetings are scheduled could mean "that scheduling process is happening" or "someone is scheduling them"

So, "The company's meetings are scheduled" could mean "someone schedules the company's meetings (regularly)" or it could mean "someone is scheduling the company's meetings (right now)".

Note: some sources say:

I would say that native English speakers use Past Participles as adjectives instead of Passive Voice simply for the sake of convenience and simplicity; it’s just easier to say “the package is wrapped” than “the package has been wrapped”.

But it was written by "Robby, and he’s a non-native English speaker.". I am not sure he is a grammar expert or not.

So, if he is right, then "The company's meetings are scheduled" may mean "The company's meetings have been scheduled"

I am so confused!


Hearing a statement like "the company's meetings are scheduled", without any agent being specified, there are two likely interpretations, depending partially on whether "the company's meetings" refers to some finite group of meetings already under discussion, or not.

The first interpretation, which is more likely if there is a finite group of meetings, is that the meetings have been scheduled for some particular time — that is, they have a place on the schedule, and we know when they are going to occur. This is a common adjectival use of "scheduled", and we use the present ("are scheduled") because the property of scheduled-ness applies right now. Saying "the meetings have been scheduled" means basically the same thing. If we were talking about a single meeting, instead, this would be the only likely option.

The second interpretation, which is more likely if the meetings are a more indistinct collection, is that the meetings are generally scheduled, rather than happening at any old time. You can look at this as a participle indicating habitual action, or an adjective applying to a class; I don't think it makes any difference either way.

Your alternative of "someone is scheduling the meetings right now" isn't supportable at all, in my opinion. That would usually be phrased as "the meetings are being scheduled", not "the meetings are scheduled". The progressive aspect of "being" highlights the ongoing action.


The questioner writes:

"The company's meetings are scheduled" could mean "someone schedules the company's meetings (regularly)" or it could mean "someone is scheduling the company's meetings (right now)".

It means, as @hobbs states, either that it's company policy to schedule meetings, or a set of meetings has been scheduled in advance.

It doesn't mean, or even suggest, that meetings are being scheduled right now.

It is idiomatic to speak of schedules in the present tense. Note that using "was scheduled" implies that the event is no longer on the schedule or has been moved.

The flight is scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m.

The flight was scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m., but it has been delayed.

The flight leaves at 8 p.m. The flight is scheduled to leave at 8 p.m. The flight will leave (you hope!) at 8 p.m.

Departure time is 8 p.m. Arrival time is 10 p.m.

Departure time has been scheduled for 8 p.m. This use is, however, unusual.

The meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, but it has been moved to Thursday. It is now scheduled for Thursday.

The meeting of the policy group is scheduled for 10 a.m. every day.

The directors' meeting is on the schedule for October, but the speakers have not yet been scheduled. We are scheduling them now. Even as we speak, they are being scheduled.

Our lunch is on my calendar for Wednesday. Do you want to change it?

The poster cites a source for the idea that [there are] Non-Continuous Verbs or Stative verbs used in Simple Present to express an action is happening or is not happening now, but this concept does not apply to the statement "The company's meetings are scheduled."

Specifically, the jump from "I am here now" to "I am staying here now" is incorrect. "Staying" has a sense of remaining somewhere, perhaps overnight.

The following are idiomatic American English sentences:

I am going to Washington. I will be staying with friends. I am staying with friends (even if this a trip in the future).

I am in Washington. I am staying at the Mayflower Hotel.

I am in a bar on 42nd and Broadway. I am staying here until it stops raining.

Are you doing anything on New Year's Eve? No, I am staying home.

I am staying home today instead of going to the office because the snow is too heavy for driving.

I am in the kitchen. I am staying in the kitchen until the dog stops barking.

Are you staying home tonight? No, I am going to the movies.