8 verb tenses

ThePresentContinuousTense:A D"l.Y.Guide

4.

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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