Grammar Review 2: Verbs

Present Simple

• To talk about routines or habits.

I get up at 6.00 every morning to get to uni.

• To talk about future events on a timetable or programme of events. This use is

sometimes called the timetable future.

The train for Central leaves at 6.00 on Monday.

Past Simple

• To talk about things that happened in the past, are finished and have no

connection with the present. We usually know when the action happened.

I chatted with my tutor on Skype last night.

Present Perfect Simple

• To talk about things that have happened in an unfinished period of time that

includes the present. It is used with expressions like this morning, this week, this

month, this year.

Have you seen Joe this morning?

*Did you see Joe this morning?

• To talk about the duration of an action that started in the past and continues up

to and includes the present. It is often used with for and since.

She has studied here for 3 years.

Present Perfect Simple

• To talk about the present result of an action completed at an unspecified time in

the past.

Oh, you have completed your assignment.

• To talk about experiences people have had at some time in their lives. When it

happened is not specified.

He has travelled all around Australia.

Past Perfect

• To talk about two actions in the past and to make clear the sequence of events. It

shows that one action happened before the other.

The tute had finished when he arrived.

Present Continuous

• To talk about an activity in progress, which includes the present moment.

A: What are you doing?

B: I am watching TV.

• To talk about definite future events. This is sometimes called the diary future. The

time reference is given or understood.

I am meeting my tutor at 3.30 on Friday.

Past Continuous

• To talk about an action that was in progress at a past point in time.

I was doing my assignment at 8.00.

• To talk about an activity that was in progress and interrupted by a single

complete action in the past. It is made with the Past Continuous, the Past Simple

and the words when or while.

I was doing my assignment when the phone rang.

Present Perfect Continuous

• To talk about the duration of an activity that started in the past and continues up to

and includes the present.

He has been working on his assignment since 8.00.

• To talk about the result of a recently stopped activity. The result of the activity is

evident in the present.

He has been working on his assignment. He is exhausted.

Past Perfect Continuous

• To talk about the duration of an activity that continued up to a specified point in

time in the past. The words for and since are used to talk about the duration of the

activity. The word when is often used to introduce the past time reference.

They had been researching in the library for 2 hours when the siren went off.

• To talk about the result of a past activity that stopped before a point in time in the

past. The result of the activity is evident at this past point in time.

I got home last night and the place was a mess. My flatmates had been partying.

Zero Conditional

• To express a general rule or scientific fact that is always true.

If you press this button, the trash is gone forever.

First Conditional

• To talk about a situation that we see as possible in the future. It is called the

‘possible conditional’. It can be used to express a variety of functions, e.g. an offer, a

threat, a warning, a consequence.

If it rains, I will not go to uni.

Second Conditional

• The Second Conditional is used to talk about a situation that we see as either

improbable or unreal. It is called the ‘improbable conditional’. It can be used to give

advice, make offers, and talk about a variety of hypothetical situations.

If I won a lot of money, I would quit uni and travel around the world.

If I were you, I would stop worrying about the assignment.

Third Conditional

• To speculate about the consequences of something that did not happen in the

past. It is called the ‘impossible conditional’. It can be used to express regret or

relief.

If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

Reference

Workman, G. 2008, Concept questions and time lines, Gem Publishing.

Reporting verbs

Choosing the ‘right’ reporting verb depends on:

• what the author is doing

• the extent to which you agree with the author

• the significance the author has placed on the information

• the way the reporting verb fits together with other words in a sentence

What the author is doing

• ARGUE: verbs concerned with writing or saying

argue, suggest, propose, point out, observe, explain, conclude, claim, state

• THINK: verbs concerned with thinking, knowing, understanding

think, believe, assume, feel, hold, hope

• SHOW: verbs concerned with indicating a fact or situation

show, demonstrate, reveal, indicate, confirm, imply

• FIND: verbs concerned with the research process

find, discover, observe, establish, identify, infer

Agreement with author

You can indicate, through a choice of reporting verbs, your viewpoint:

• a belief that the information is correct

acknowledge, define, demonstrate, explain, identify, observe, outline, show, throw

light on

• a neutral attitude towards the veracity of the information

add, argue, claim, clarify, conclude, describe, express, feel, find, indicate, inform,

present, propose, remark, remind, report, state, use

• a belief that the information is incorrect

allege, confuse, disregard, ignore

Significance of information

It is possible to indicate whether the author is positive or negative in their attitude to the

content of the information.

• Positive

accept, advise, affirm, agree, applaud, assert, concur, insist, maintain, note, praise,

point out, posit, recommend, remark, stress, subscribe to, suggest, support, think,

urge

• Negative/uncertain:

attack, challenge, disagree, dismiss, dispute, doubt, mistrust, oppose, question,

reject, suspect, warn

• The author is very assertive/certain: argue, challenge, claim, insist, refute, reject

• The author is tentative: propose, speculate, suggest

• The author believes the information is very important: contend, emphasise, stress

• The author believes the information is of lesser importance: mention, note, say

• The author is offering advice to the reader: caution, recommend, warn, urge

How it fits in the sentence

• Mostly in the present tense

ARGUE (concerned with writing or saying), THINK (concerned with thinking,

knowing and understanding) and SHOW (concerned with indicating a fact/situation)

verbs

• Occasionally in the present perfect tense

ARGUE, FIND and SHOW verbs

• Mostly in the past tense

FIND (concerned with the research process) verbs