Mi abuelo está escribiendo un libro sobre la práctica del ajedrez.

Questions & Answers about Mi abuelo está escribiendo un libro sobre la práctica del ajedrez.

How would I change this sentence to apply the current lesson and say he has been writing the book for a year?
You would use the llevar + time + gerund structure. The sentence would become: Mi abuelo lleva un año escribiendo un libro sobre la práctica del ajedrez. Right now, the sentence just uses the present progressive (está escribiendo) to say he is currently doing it, without specifying how long.
Why does it say del ajedrez instead of just de ajedrez?
In Spanish, names of games and sports generally require the definite article. Because chess is el ajedrez, combining the preposition de and the article el creates the mandatory contraction del. In English, we just say "chess," but Spanish needs that article!
Why does práctica have an accent mark?
In this sentence, práctica is a noun meaning "practice." The accent mark indicates that the spoken stress falls on the third-to-last syllable. It also helps distinguish it from the verb practica (he/she practices), which is stressed on the second-to-last syllable and does not have a written accent mark.
Can I use de instead of sobre to say a book is "about" something?
Yes, you can! Saying un libro de is a very common way to express what a book is about. Using sobre is just a bit more specific, directly translating to "about" or "on the topic of."

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