Chapters 11, 12 Verb tense and aspect

Chapters 11, 12 Verb tense and aspect

1.Use of simple present p1252.Use of present progressive p1313.Simple present vs. present progressive4.Simple past p1285.Past progressive p1346.Simple past vs. past progressive7.Present perfective8. Present perfective vs. simple past9.Past perfective

Use of simple present p125

1. Timeless present2. Habitual present3. Momentary and instantaneous present4. Referring to the future

Use of present progressive p131

1. To denote an action in progress at the moment of speakingWhat are you doing?Im writing a letter.2. An action in progress at a period of time including the presentHe is studying law while her sister is dong physics.I teach English at the college, but Im now teaching in a middle school.

3. A future happening according to a definite plan or arrangement.He is leaving china in a few weeks.Im going to Shanghai for the summer holiday.

4. To denote other meaningsAn action in the immediate past.I dont know what you are talking about.To make even politer requestsIm hoping youll give us some advice.Im wandering if I may have a word with you.

Simple present vs.
present progressive

1. He lives in a big city. (p131)He is living in a big city this year.People try to sell their cars for a profit, but generally this is not possible.With the law calling for more tax from car-owners coming into force, people are trying to sell their cars for a profit these days.

She loves teaching.He chose to take teaching in a primary school at a remote Africa village. He will be there for one for the volunteer project. And he is loving it. simple present to indicate sth general/ usual/ habitual;Present progressive to indicate sth happening at the time, usa, temporary.

2. He always complains about his new job.He is always complaining aboutContinually, constantly, for ever present progressive to convey feeling of annoyance or disapproval p131

3. I wonder if you can come to dinner.Im/was wondering if you can come progressive to be more polite/ indirect p135

4. He is a good boy.He is being a good boy tonight.The camera costs 150 dollars.The mistake is costing us dearly.we see the chimney from the distance. Were seeing a friend off at the railway station.

I think you make a mistake.

Im thinking of attending a lecture. p112 stative to dynamic verbsSimple present to indicate stateProgressive to indicate action

5. If he cooks, I always wash up.If you heat metal, it expands.[a woman is talking about the relationship with her husband.]If hes cooking for example a roast meal, or any kind of meal, I can sometimes sort of do the typical, you know, wife bit of going in the kitchen and saying, Oh, Ill take over.

[this is part of a newspaper article about exercise.]Take your pulse after 10 minutes, using a watch with a second hand. If your heart is beating beyond the high end of your aerobic rate, you are exercising too hard. simple present to indicate sth usual/ general; present progressive to indicate sth temporary, highlighting the progress /state in a certain event.

6. This is a problem.Im saying that this/ What Im saying isThe proposal is not practical.Im suggesting that the / What Im suggesting isWe need to discuss this further.Im saying that we/What Im saying is that we to be more indirect, polite.

Use of simple past p128

1. Past event and past habitHe arrived one hour ago.It was a terrible accident.He went to work by school bus in those days.He sold newspaper for a living.He has given up smoking, but a year ago he smoked 100 cigarettes a week.

2.Attitudinal and hypothetical past

Attitudinal:to make the question/request /suggestion less direct.A: did you want me?B: yes, I wondered if you could lend me a hand.Want, wonder, think, hope.

Hypothetical past (Subjunctive mood)

Its time we had a holiday.I wish you knew her name.If only he didnt drive so fast.If I had the money now, Id buy a car.If you went there by taxi, you could catch the train.Suppose he saw you do that, what would he say?

Use of past progressive p134

1. An action in progress at a definite point or period of past time2. A past habitual action3. To denote futurity in the past4. To make polite requests and express hypothetical meanings

Simple past vs. past progressive

1. [Miss Smith is talking about how she got her first ad]Well, I was reading a book and a very worried- looking man rushed in and said Wheres everybody? Whats happening? and I explained that everyone was away sick with flu. And he said he needed an ad urgently

[Miss Brown is talking about her experience in the laundry]I was sitting in a launderette when a man came in and took his clothes off, and I got very frightened, but he just put them in the washing machine and washed then, sat down, put them in the dryer, put them back on and went.

In past time narration, past progressive to indicate the background/atmosphere at the beginning/ set the scene. past time to say what happened.I was reading a book and a man rushed in.I was reading a book when a man As/ (when)/ while I was reading a book, a

When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was relaxing and eating, and some were watching football match on TV, and nobody ever noticed my entering into the office. So I cleared my voice and said,

A monkey was riding a bike in a country road near a river, and just beside him, the river was flowing clean with a white duck swimming and singing some song and some paper boats drifting quietly down it. Suddenly, the monkey bumped into a stone and fell off the bikeP134 a fableThe farmer and the snake.

The farmer and the snake

While a farmer was Returning home one winters day, he found a snake lying under a hedge, half dead with cold. Taking pity on the creature, he placed it in his bosom and brought it home, where he laid it near the fire. No sooner was the snake restored by the warmth of the cottage than it began to attack the farmers wife and children. Hearing their cries, the farmer, whose compassion had saved the snakes life, rushed into the room, Grabbed an ax, and smashed the serpent until it was dead.

2. I was reading a novel yesterday. p134I read a novel yesterday.They were building a dam last winter.They built a dam last winter.I was reading a book and a man rushed in.I read a book and a man rushed in.

When we arrived, she was washing clothes.When we arrived, she washed clothes.At the moment I was reading the lyrics, I was singing a song and I was swinging to the rhyme. It was a pretty happy time!I read the lyrics, I sang a song and I swung to the rhyme.

past progressive: sth happening at the time, unfinished/ in progress. Several actions happening at the same time.Past tense: sth happened at a past time, finished/ completed. Several actions happened one after another.More on p136

3. Exercise:

E.g. I want to know about your action after the good news.A. what did you do when the news arrived?B. what were you doing when the ?1. I want to describe the situation at the party when I arrived.A. everyone danced.B. Everyone was dancing.

2. Im thinking of the whole car journey.A. the driver drove too fast.B. the driver was driving too fast.3. I want to tell you what sort of person he was.A. he talked too much.B. he was talking too much.4. I want to show that I finished my dream.A. I dreamt about a wonderful holiday.B. I was dreaming about

5. I want to show that I was interrupted.A. I talked about her when she came into the room.B. I was talking about her when she6. I want to show that different things happened at the same time.A. he made a phone call, cooked supper, and drank a coffee.B. he was making a phone call, cooking and drinking a coffee.

7. I want to show that different things happened one after another.A. she was buying a new house, writing a novel and arranging the wedding.B. she bought a new house, wrote a novel and arranged 8. I want to describe the situation at the time he broke his arm.A. He was carrying a big bag up some steps.B. He carried a big

Story goes on!

[Arrive; get on; leave; pull out; see; shout]It was a cold, dark morning, and a tall man in a black coat was standing on the station platform. Then the train arrived, and the man quickly got on. He left a small bag on the platform, and the train

[walk; look around; take; leave]The festival was nearly over. There was still loud music, and people still . Then a strange man .

Chapter 12 Perfective

Perfective aspect has two chief uses: 1.finished by finished by now (present perfect) finished by then (past perfect) 2.lasting tilllasting till now (present perfect)lasting till then (past perfect)

Present perfective1: the finished use

He has already closed all the windows.He has been to America twice.Ive never been to Australia. This refers to the fact that an action or state has finished by now. It emphasizes the present result (current relevance) of a past event still operative at the present moment. In the finished use, there is no adverbial expressing duration, but such adverbials as already, yet, just, ever, never, recently, n times

1. Finished Use of Present Perfect/ already, yet, just, ever, never, recently, n timesI have already had my breakfast. (Im not hungry now)I have turned off the light. (It is still off now.)The United States has won its independence. (It is still independent now.)

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past 1

The lift has already broken down.

The lift broke down yesterday.

(We have to use the stairs.)

(We dont know whether or not it is working again now.)

I have repaired the car.

I repaired the car the day before yesterday.

(It is ok now.)

(But it still does not work now.)

1.Present perfective focuses on the effect of a past event still operative at present; simple past focuses on the past event with no relation to the present. 2.Simple past if there is specific past time indication.1. ;, .2. ,

I have passed my driving test, so I can drive on the street now.--- When did you pass it?--- (I passed it) at the end of the last year.

1991

I have been to Shanghai twice. In 1991, I went there for the first time. Five years ago, I went there for the second time.President Kennedy has died. He died in the 1960s, so he has been dead (not has died) for about forty years.

He has come here for two hours?He came here two hours ago. He has been here for two hours.I have turned off the light for two hours? The light has been off for two hours. momentary verbs

2. Lasting Use of Present Perfect

This use denotes that an action or state extends over a period lasting up to the present (current relevance), and possibly will extend to the future. It is usually accompanied by an adverbial expressing duration, such as since, for some time, until now, etc. indicating a state or a habit or a negative meaning non-occurrence of an event.

State: I bought the best-seller two weeks ago. So I have had it for two weeks. Ive known him for thirty years.Habit: He has often written to me since he left.Negative: She hasnt called yet since she left.We havent met for 20 years.

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past 2

I have lived here for ten years. p141

I once lived here for ten years.

The journal has been published every month since 1850.

The journal was published every month from 1850 to 1888.

Florida has suffered from disastrous floods throughout its history.

Florida suffered from in the 1970s.

--present perfective: impact/effect on now;

simple past: no impact/effect on now.

Present Perfect vs. Simple Past 3

[news report]1. OUR ROADS THE SHAME OF EUROPEBritains motorways [vote] the second worst in Europe, according to a new survey. They are plagued by poor facilities, roadworks and bad signposting, says the motorists.Only Portugals motorways [be] rated worse than ours.

What are the verb forms in English news (titles, the first para)

2. SAM DIES AT 109 The oldest man in Britain [die] aged 109-six weeks after taking the title. Sam Crabbe, from Cadgwith, Cornwall, [not give up] smoking until he was 98 and [enjoy] a nightly tot of whisky. He [be] taken ill just hours before his death.3. WOMAN WINS BIG PRIZEWoman in Madrid [win] five million dollars in lottery. Only [buy] one ticket. [Lose] it. [find] it in rubbish bin. [claim] prize.

3. WOMAN WINS BIG PRIZEWoman in Madrid [win] five million dollars in lottery. Only [buy] one ticket. [Lose] it. [find] it in rubbish bin. [claim] prize.

Ex 1

1. Its 7.30 a. m. the postman usually comes between 7.15 a. m. and 7.45 a. m.A. the postman hasnt come yet.lB. the postman didnt come this morning.2. Im talking about my trip around Eastern Europe last year.A. I havent been to prague.B. I didnt go to Prague.

3. Alice is a good friend of mine.A. shes known me since we were children.B. she knew me when we were children.4. Im telling you this just after I heard the news.A. a large shark has attacked a swimmer on the coast.B. a large shark attacked a swimmer on the coast.

5. He is back with his family now.A. no one has seen him for ten days.B. no one saw him for ten days.6. My knee is much better now.A. Ive hurt my knee.B. I hurt my knee.7. Im giving a friend recent news about Tom.A. Tom has given up smoking.B. Tom gave up smoking.

8. Mike didnt get the job.A. Mikes applied for a new job.B. Mike applied for a new job.9. Im still studying maths with the same teacher. A. Ive learnt a lot from my maths teacher.B. I learnt a lot from my maths teacher.10. The drug was never used because it was dangerous.A. scientists have found a new drug.B. scientists found a new drug.

Past perfective

Similar to present perfective except that the reference time is not now, but a past time. The past time is sometimes explicit enough; many times it is implied in the context.1. finished before a past time.I had written the article when they came.He knew he had met her before.We realized that we had lost our way.

2. lasting till a past time and probably longer.By yesterday afternoon they had worked 12 hours.The factory had fulfilled its yearly plan of production by last November. By the end of last term I had written two papers.

Four ways to use past perfective

1. After reporting/thought verbs (indirect speech for past time)She said she hadnt seen him for ages.He told me hed actually died from his injuries you know.She revealed that the design for the building had been inspired by rock formations. I thought/believed I had finished the task.

2. Adding to noun in relative clause.The baby became ill again. The baby was ill from birth. The baby, which had been ill , becameThe temple in the village was destroyed by storms. He rebuilt the temple. He rebuilt, which had been destroyed by storms.The house was sold out. The house was worth 2 million dollars last year. The house, which had been sold out, was worth

3. In a background clausewhen /before/ after/ until, because/ since/ asWhen they had finished eating, they cleared the table and played cards.I went out for a walk since/ because I had worked for 3 hours. I didnt reach the station until (after) the train (had) left. After he had been/was questioned by police, the boy went home. The train (had) left before I reached the station p208

4. Imaginary use ( subjunctive mood)

Ex :

1. There was this guy who [go] to work on the South Coast and when he first [arrive] he [stay] in his hotel that [be] badly build and one day he [turn] on the tap and there was the terrible noise he thought he [start] an earthquake.2. Well, I got on better with David really. Last time we [stay] in London we [share] a flat, because Ben [go] to America.

Past perfective

Similar to present perfective except that the reference time is not now, but a past time.

assignments

11 c e f g12 e