The time frames "currently" and "at the moment" can refer to a temporary situation, but they can also refer to a situation or action that might continue into the future.
Of the two, I would say that "at the moment" most often refers to a transient or ephemeral action/state, and yet, it most often takes present continuous.
But in some cases (with non-stative verbs) it simply cannot take simple present:
- Where are you going?
- At the moment, I go home (wrong)
- At the moment, I am going home.
"Currently", on the other hand, most often applies to actions or states that are continuing, and might continue indefinitely: :
- Who robbed the bank?
- Currently, we're looking into it.
yet it can reasonably take simple present:
- What inventory valuation method do you use?
- Currently, we use FIFO.
So, all I can say is that your prior notions about simple present vs. present progressive were much too constrained.
By the way, for what it's worth: "currently" extends a litlle into the past, whereas "at the moment" doesn't.
And, as you well know, one can say "I am going to school tomorrow." (But that's a different kettle of fish. Or maybe a horse of a different color. Or, more likely, a fish of a different color—namely, a red herring.)
When native speakers say
I'm always {doing something}....
it's as if they're gently berating themselves that they persist in making the same error or slip-up.
I'm always misplacing my car keys!
I'm always forgetting my wallet!
I'm always mistaking him for his older brother!
Those are things you find yourself doing again and again. Such statements are an exclamation, more or less.
You can express a similar idea with simple present.
I always misplace my car keys!
but for many speakers the simple present wouldn't be as gentle and forgiving as the continuous, and there would be a little tinge of angry frustration in the statement.
What would NOT be idiomatic is to use the present continuous to refer to your standard (volitional/intentional) practice:
I am always eating lunch at that restaurant because it's close to my office. not idiomatic
Best Answer
In this context, I'd say the two meanings were pretty much identical since they are both referring to the current action (of the person asking for the toy), and not their habitual, ongoing action.
And I'd say that goes not only for the literal meaning, but also for any suggestion that the owner of the room (in which the toy was found) feels the request for the toy is unwanted. To just what extent that aspect was conveyed would be more down to the tone, not to mention body language including facial expression. The broader context would be important too. Consider the following three scenarios:
A kid has left a toy lying on the floor of his parents' bedroom. He finds it, takes it to his mom and asks "I found this toy in your room, can I have it?" Mom nods, but puzzled asks, "Why are you asking?"
A robber has broken into a house, tied up the family, and has packed everything they owned into a truck. Just as he is leaving, he spots a toy on the floor of one of the kids rooms. He grabs it and begins to leave, but at the last minute turns to the kid and says, "I found this toy in your room, can I have it?" The kid glares at the robber, shrugs and in a resigned tone says, "Why are you asking?".
One kid had been unable to find a particular toy for weeks. He was sure his brother had stolen it but he could never prove it. One day, he finds the usually-locked door to his brother's room lying wide open, and there in the middle of the floor is his toy! He picks it up, runs to his brother, and says triumphantly, "I found this toy in your room! Can I have it?" The brother starts sweating and looking furtive, and replies, "W'w'w'why are y'y'you asking? [gulp]"