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Chapters 11, 12 Verb tense and aspect
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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
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Use of simple present p125
1. Timeless present2. Habitual present3. Momentary and
instantaneous present4. Referring to the future
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
.
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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)
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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.)
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Past perfective
Similar to present perfective except that the reference time is not
now, but a past time.
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assignments
11 c e f g12 e