ThePresentContinuousTense:A D"l.Y.Guide
4.
i\
3 'M
w-% 'l .
Past
ru Now
Future
The PresentContinuous - for thingshappeningaroundnow - for things with a Fgnseof duration(limltedtlme) - for thinEschangingovertime 1"Now,but actuallyAROUNDlrovn.., I'nrdrivingthe car. (Whatare you doing?) 2" Futureo with a sensebeingalreadyplanned... I'rnhavingdinnerwith Wendy. (Whatare you doing on Tuesdaynight?) 3" RepeatedAction,aroundnow & not finished... I'm readinga very good book. (Whatare you doing for fun thesedays?) 4. Trends:increaseand decreaso... The populationof the world is risingvery fast. My Englishis improvingas a resultof this lesson. BUT- don't use this tensefor conditionsor actionsthat are repeatedwithout a senseof beginningand ending.
RenoDal'sRealEnglish.@21 December1999
The PresentSimpleTense:A Now& AlwaysGuide
Future
The PresentSimple for how thingsareand thingsthat repeatwithouta senseof time limitationor change. 1. Thingsthat arealmostalwaystrue: The sky is blue.Catsare cute. 2. Thingsthat happenrepeatedly: I alwaysdriveto the beachon the weekend. I get up early. 3. Glualities and Gonditions: He'sfat. She'shappy. It's green,really! 4. Feelings I hateMarybut I love grammar. I love sport. I enjoyeatingsnakes. 5. Doingby saying: I promiseI will nevereat chocolateagain. I suggestthat you go to bed now. Questions: Do you hateme? Doeshe like his job? Reno Dal'sReal English.@21 December1999
The PastContinuousTense:In TheFlow!
THENT
The PastGontinuous - for thingsthat werehappeningaroundthen - for thingswithin a senseof duration(limitedtime) - for thingsthat werechangingovertime 'l . Then,but actuallyAROUNDthen.,. I was drivingthe car when I had the accident. (Whatwereyou doing?) 2. Future,with a sensebeingalreadyplanned,.. I wasgoingto havedinnerwith Wendyuntil she rangand cancelled.So I just stayedat homeand watchedTV. (Whatwereyou doing on Tuesdaynight?) 3. RepeatedAction,aroundthen & not finished... I was readinga very good book that month, (Whatwereyou doingfor fun in thosedays?) 4. Trends:increaseand decrease... My Englishwas improvingconsistentlyuntil I stopped studying. BUT- don't use this tensefor conditionsor actionsthat are repeatedwithouta senseof beginningand ending. RenoDal'sRealEnglish.@21 December1999
The PastSimpleTense:"lt's over!"
4.
3. 1
Y 1.2,
Future
Past
The PastSimpleTense- for pastconditions& states of being,like the PresentSimplebut in the pastand finished.
. ,: \.:.
1. Statesof Being,past... Mozartwas a musician.He likedrnusicvery much. 2. Pastdurationsof thingsthat don'tchange... He livedfrom 1756till 1791. quickly,of a precisetime... 3. Thingsthat happened, He startedcomposingat 8pm on 26 Januaryol768. 4. Thingsthat happenedrepeatedly... He playedthe violin everyTuesdayeveningfrom the ageof 10yearsuntil he died. Questions:Did he like music? Did you go to the disco? ColloquialEnglish:I usedto likechocolatewhenI was a kid, but I hateit now.
1999 RenoDal'sRealEnglish.@21 Decnmber I
I I
The PresentPerfectGontinuousTense:AboutActions
4.ffi
Future
Past
The PresentPerfectContinuous-afocus on actions for activitiesin the pastaffectingnow. 1. Thingsthat happenedand affectnow: I've been lookingfor my keys,but I still can'tfind them.
2.To reportrecenthappenings: Why are you still here?lt's beenraining.
3. To expressdurationinto the present: It has beenrainingfor two hours.
4. To expressrepeatedactionsinto the present: I've been studying Englishfor five years now, She'sbeenplayingtennis since she was eight yearsold.
5. To expresstrendsthat maychange:
numbershavebeenincreasingfor decades. Unemployment Onlynowcanwe solvethe problem.
Questions:
Haveyou beenlookingtor my keysor just sittingaround? Haveyou beenstudying? Whathaveyou beendoingall this time? * You shouldhavefinishedby now.(presentperfectsimplelmodal) (MurphyUnit#9) RenoDal'sRealEnglish. @21 December 1999
The PresentPerfeetTense:About Effeets
Past
Now
Ful
The PresentPerfect-a focus on results for things in the pastthat affectnow. 1. Thingsthat happenedand affectRow: I can'tget in. I havelost my keys.
2.To reportrecenthappenings: Polieehavearrestedtwo menin connectionwith the robbery.
3. Feelings& conditonsthat affeetnew:
I'vealwayslovedyou.(pastperfect-not "l alwayslovedyou.") Didn'tyouknowthat?(pastsimple)
4. To indicatetime:
(veryreqent) a.I'veiuqtfiniehed.
b. Fle'salreadygone.(soonerthanexpected) c. lt hasn'tstoppedrainingyet.(laterthan expected)
5. Thingsthatareineomplete: l.lehas goneto Italy.(& is still there)
6. Te insistthatthingshavehappened: Hehas beento ltaly.(& returned) But yqu wouldn'tbelieveit to lookat him.
Questions:
HayQyeu Seenmy heys?
Flaveyou finished (yet)? What have you done?! (Lookingat a messy result)
(MurphyUnit#7)
RenoDal'sRealEngtish. @21 December1999
The PastPerfectContinuousTense:AboutActions 5.
3-W 2. 1. Now
Future
The Past PerfectContinuous-afocus on actiOns for activitiesin the past affectingTHEN(ALSOPAST). 1. Thingsthat happenedand affectthen:
I'd been looklng for my keyr for an hour, but I stlll couldn't flnd them.
2.To reportrecenthappenlngsbeforethen:
Why wereyou stlll here?lt had beenralnlng.
3. To expressdurationinto then: It had beenrainlngfor two houru.
4. To expressrepeatedactionsinto then:
I'd beenst-udylngEngllshlor flve yoarswhgn I met her. She'dbeenpiayi-ngtennlsslncerhe wagelghtyearsold.
5. To expresstrendsthat changed:
numbershad beenIncreaslngfor decades. Unemploy-ment Only theri couldwe beglnto solvethe problem.
Questions:
Hadyou beenlooklngfor my keysor lust slttlng around? Hadyou beenstudylng? Whai hadyou beendolngall that tlme? ; V;u stroutOhavefinlsh6dby then.(presentperfectsimple/modal)
(MurphyUnit#rG)
1999 @21December RenoDal'sRealEnglish.
The Past PerfectTense:About Effects 4.
W 2. 1. Past
Then
Now
Future
The Past Perfect-a focus on results tor things in the pastthat affecteda PASTTIME. 1. Thingsthat happenedand affectthen:
I couldn'tget in. I hadlost my keys.
2.To reporthappeningspreviousto then:
Policehadarrestedtwo menin connectionwith the robbery.
3. Feelings& conditonsthat affectedthen: I hadalwayslovedyou untilthen,whenyou told me. Didn'tyou knowthat?(pastsimple)
4. To indicatetime beforethen:
a. I'd just finished.(veryrecent) b. He'dalreadygone.(soonerthanexpected) c. lt hadn'tstoppedrainingthen.(laterthanexpected)
5. Thingsthat wereincomplete: He hadgoneto ltaly.(& was still there)
6. To insistthat thingshad happened: He had beento ltaly.(& returned) But you wouldn'thavebelievedit to lookat him.
Questions:
Hadyou seenmy keysbeforethen? Hadyou finished(by then)? Whathadyou doneto deservethat? (MurphyUnit#15)
RenoDal'sRealEnglish. O21 December1999