8/18/2019 Tenses cumulative.pdf http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/tenses-cumulativepdf 1/5 ensereview English lenses have two elements of meaning: time and aspect. Time Is the action present , past or future? Does it refer to all time? It is important to remember that time and tense are not alwa}'5 the same in English. Present tenses often refer to the present time, but not alwa}'5; similarly past tenses do not always refe r to past time. Your pllme leaves at /0.00 tomorrow morning. ( present tense form referring to the future ) In the book, the heroine goes back to her yOl4h . (present tense form referring to the past ) I wish I knew the answer. but don t . (past tense form referring to the present ) I could come tomorrow, if}'lJu like. (past tense form referring to the future ) Aspect The three aspects add another layer of meaning to the act i on of the verb. Simple The action is seen as a complete whole. Continuous The action is secn as having duration. Perfect The action is seen as completed before another time. Choosing the correct tense Th e choice of ve r b fo rm depends o n many factors, and not on a set of rigid grammatical rules. The n ature of th e a ct io n or even t Because English can employ its various aspects, events can be viewed with a multiplicity of implications. Look at this sentence: have been asking my husband to mend this door for two years. In some languages this verb form is in the present - 1 ask my husband .. . - which indeed conveys the same basic message. But English has added on two aspects. The perfect aspect emphasi zes both past and presen t , so that the enormity of this lack of DIY can be appreciated. The continuous aspect expresses the repetitive nature of the wife s requests. She hasn t asked once but a hundred times, every week for two years. Neither of these ideas are expressed by the present tense. 2 ow th e speaker sees th e event Look at these sentences: a He always buys her flowers. b He's always buying her flowers. c J l/talk to Peter about ; t this afternoon. d I ll be ralking 10 Peter about il this afternoon. In each pair of sentences, the actions are the same, but the speaker looks at them differrnuy. In sente nce a, the Present Simple eJqlresses a simple fact. The Present Continuous in sentence b conveys the speake r s attitude, one of mild su rpri se or irritat i on. In sentence c will expresses a promise or a decision madc at the moment of sp<."aking. In sentence d the Future Continuous is interesting for what it doesn't express. There is no elemen t of intenti volition or plan. The speaker is saying that in the natural course of event s, as life unfolds, he and Peter will cross paths and talk, independently of the wil or intention of anyone concerned. It is a casual way of looking al the futu re, which is why we can find questions such as Will you be usiug the computer for long?, which is much less confrontational than Are you going to be using the computer for long? 3 The meani ng of the verb [n some cases, the choice of ver b form might be suggested by the meaning of the verb. A verb ~ u h as be/oug expresses a state or condition that remains unchanged over a period of time. Other verbs are mean, underslllnd, believe, adore, remember, etc. t woul therefore be more likely to find them in s imple verb forms. This house belonge d /0 my grandfather. Now i/ bel ong s to me. Similarly, verbs such as wait and rain express the idea of an activ over a period of time, and so are often found in continuous verb fo r ms. I ve been waiting for } lJU for hours It's raining again. 2 . S The simple aspect The simple aspect describes an action that is seen to be complete. The action is viewed as a whole unit. The sun ri ses in the east. == all time) I' ve read the book and seen theftlm. (complete ) My fMher always wore a suit to work. (habit ) He died ill 1992. (action completed in the past ) This shop will close l t 5.30. (simple fact ) Because the simple aspect expresses a completed action, we must us it if the sentence contains a number that refe rs to things done: She's written three letters today. I drink five cups o ea a day. .. 2 6 he continuous aspect Continuous verb forms express activities, or a series of activiti es, vie at some point between their beginn ing and end. The continuous asp focuses on the duration of an activity : we are aware of the passing o t ime. The activity is not permanent, and its duration is limited . I' m S la ying with friends tmti/I find a place o my own . (temporary) Why are you we aring that silly lIat? (in progress) I've been lea rning English for years. (duration) The ac t ivity may not be complete, J ve been painting the kitchen. (We don t know if it s finished.) He was dying, but the doctors Stlved him. Who's been drinking my beer? ( There s some left. ) Compare: Who's drul1k my beer? ( It s all gone. ) The actio n of some verbs, by definition, lasts a long time, for examp live and work. The continuous aspect gives these actions limited duration and makes them temporary. Hans is li ving j l London while he's learning English. I' m work ing as a waiter until I go to Imiversity. The action of some other verbs lasts a short time . These are often fo in the simple aspect , She's cu I her finger. He hi me, In the continuous aspeCl, the action of these verbs becomes longer o repeated. I ve been cutting wood. ( for a long time) He was hitting me. ( again and again)
