3. Tenses (past, present)

Question 1

Past simple

Answer 1

PRESENT
1. Present states
- usually with stative verbs, single unbroken state of affairs that has started in the past, exists now, and is likely to continue in future
- Also refers to the “timeless present” - facts
-> I like coffee. I know him. I live in BA.
- usually true at the time speaking
-> Bill is tall.
- Habits, regular happenings - usually with the dynamic verbs, also “timeless present”
- (usually, often, always, every…) – to specify the frequency
- we can say “Bill drinks heavily” without it being true at the moment
2. Universal statements, facts (timeless)
-> Dogs have 4 legs.

Question 2

Present continuous (progressive)

Answer 2

Usually no stative verbs – if so, they adapt dynamic meaning
a) Emotion or attitude
-> I’m hoping to…
- Annoyance
-> You’re being silly.
b) Events – dynamic verbs:
- Action in progress
-> (right now) I am listening to you.
- Duration
-> (right now) We are having a lecture.
c) Development, change (vs. fixed)
-> My hair is getting grey.
d) Habitual meaning
- Temporary (vs. permanent)
-> I am working at the university.
- Repetition – (very) regular
-> The child is jumping.
- Irritation, annoyance
-> She is always coming late.
- Atmosphere
-> The sun is shining, birds are singing, …
- Politeness
-> I´m hoping that you… (vs. I hope that…)
- (Emotions, emphasis)
-> They are having to wait for the hospital.
e) SPECIAL USAGE
- Event around present (wider present)
-> I am knitting a new pullover.
- For the future (arranged)
-> We are having a party on Sunday

Question 3

Past Simple

Answer 3

PAST
a) Events in the past**
– dynamic verbs (at a definite time and finished in the past)
-> Yesterday at 9 a.m. (exact time)
-> last week
-> in 1999 (extended period)
-> I washed my car yesterday.
b) **States in the past*
– stative verbs (can be paraphrased by used to)
-> I liked reading novels when I was young. (I used to like…)
c) Habits in the past
– dynamic verbs, occur repeatedly (= used to / would)
-> when I was…
-> at that time, in 1995…
-> I went to this school (used to go / would go).
SPECIAL USAGE
a) fixed phrases:
-> I wish I were you.
-> It´s time we went home.
b) Past subjunctive
-> I´d rather you went home.

Question 4

Past progressive

Answer 4

a) Activity in progress at one moment in the past (80% of usage of PaP)
-> When she came home, I was watching TV.
b) Activity in progress within a time interval
-> What were you doing from 5 to 6 last night? I was sleeping.
-> But: What did you do at the weekend? I read, slept, watched TV …
c) Two activities in progress at the same time in the past
- (while, when, and, …)
-> While she was washing up I was watching TV.
d) Activity that has duration and is not completed
-> I was reading a book last night./I read a book…
e) Polite phrases
-> I was hoping you…
-> I was wondering if you…
+ other meanings of progressive aspect

Question 5

Present perfect

Answer 5

It is PRESENT - a consequence of a past activity
The message is almost 80% in the present, only the 20% is about past
a) Present results (consequences) of a past activity
- Already, not yet
-> I have prepared lunch for you
b) Past experience (with present importance)
- Ever, never, twice, often
-> I have never been to London
c) Present states lasting from the past (unfinished)
- For, since
-> Likely to continue in the future – J. K. Rowling has written a book – she can write more
d) In sentences with an adverbial including the present moment
- Today, this week, so far, recently, just (immediate past)
d) Fixed phrases
-> This is the first time I’ve met John.

Question 6

Present perfect progressive

Answer 6

a) Activity that started in the past - up to now
-> I´ve been listening to you for 35 minutes.
b) Activity that started in the past + will continue
-> He´s been studying English for 4 years.
c) Activity that started in the past, finished but still there is a consequence
-> It´s been raining all night. (It´s not any more but everything is wet.)
d) Events occurring repeatedly up to present
-> I´ve been drinking juice in the morning for 2 years.
+ other meanings of progressive aspect

Question 7

Past perfect

Answer 7

Refers to activities before some other activity in the past
a) Past of the past simple
-> They had moved in the new house before Laura was born
b) Past of the past perfect
-> They had owned the car since their mother passed away.
- (when, and, before, after↓)
- Sometimes past simple may replace it if it can be understood from context – we don’t use past perfect because of redundancy

Question 8

Past perfect progressive

Answer 8

Events that started and continued up to some moment in the past
-> Before I went to America, I had been studying English for 3 years. (I went to America. I had been studying English for 3 years.)