Why is être used in this example she is sitting

Question

In this example why is the verb to be present?  Elle est assise au coin de la cheminée.

Accepted Answer

Hi Robin,
In this case 'assis/e' is the adjective describing the action of having sat down and it means she is seated by the fireplace. The problem is that in English you can also use sitting which can convey the action as well as the result of the action.
The verb is simply to be in the present tense .
If she was standing by the chimney it would be similarly -
"Elle est debout au coin de la cheminée."
Not to be confused with "Elle s'asseoit au coin de la cheminée." which would be she is sitting herself down by the fireplace .
Hope this helps!

Answer

Merci beaucoup!  That makes perfect sense.

Answer

Does it means that s'asseoir emphasis on the action while être assis emphasis on the result? What if I want to say 'After everyone is seated, the show began'? Can both ( s'asseoir and être assis)  be used in this sentence?

Answer

Merci.

Answer

Hi Joan,
It would be -
' Le spectacle commencera quand tout le monde sera assis'