Time and Tense II

Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous Past Tense Simple and Past Tense Continuous Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous Ways of Expressing Future

FORM: Aff: Sj + HAVE/HAS + Vb Past Participle Neg: Sj + HAVE/HAS + NOT + Vb-Past Participle Interr: HAVE/HAS + Sj + Vb-Past Participle USE: to express a recently completed action e.g. I have just received a call from Head Office. to express a past action, whose effect can be seen in the present e.g. Don't sit there! I've painted the bench and it's still wet.

Present Perfect Simple

to express an action that started in the past, goes on in the present and can go on in the future as well (+ FOR, SINCE) e.g. My grandfaher has worked in this factory for 40 years;I have known Susan since we were kids. to make general statements about one's experience (things that were valid in the past, are valid in the present and will probably be valid in the future as well) + always, never, often, seldom, rarely, sometimes, most times, ever, etc.. e.g. I've always enjoyed a cup of Japanese tea.

Present Perfect Continuous

FORM: Aff. Sj + HAVE + BEEN + Vb ing Neg. Sj + HAVE + NOT + BEEN + Vb ing Interr. HAVE + Sj + BEEN + Vb-ing? USE: - to express an action that started in the past and is still in progress at the moment of speaking (focus on continuity) (+ FOR, SINCE) e.g. He has been writing memos for 2 hours now.

Present Perfect Simple vs Translate: Perfect Continuous Present

Scriu scrisori de 3 ore si m-am plictisit. Studiez engleza de mai bine de 10 ani. Prietena ei cea mai buna a obtinut o slujba la Parlamentul European. Unchiul lui Petru lucreaza in telecomunicatii de 35 de ani. Bunicul lui lucreaza in aceesi companie de 40 de ani: el a infiintat-o in 1971, si nu si-a luat niciodata concediu; a muncit zi si noapte ca sa isi aduca si sa isi mentina firma in top.

Present Perfect Simple a longer interval of time Present Perfect Continuous a shorter interval of time ! the latter can be used with a long timeframe when the emphasis is on continuity

Past Tense Simple FORM:

Aff: Sj + Vb-ed (regular verbs)/2nd form of irregular verbs Neg: Sj + DID + NOT + Vb inf Interr: DID + Sj + Vb inf USE: to express an action that was completed in the past (+ last year/season/month/quarter/week; in 1998, in the spring of 2003, a week/month/year.. ago e.g. We opened our new branch in the Hague in 2005.

- to narrate a history e.g. Gabriel Resources was set up in 1995, in Toronto, to mine gold in the Rosia Montana region. It signed a contract with the Romanian state, which entitles it to own 80 % of the tons of gold lying under a mountain. A local NGO and various international environmentalists opposed this new mining project and sued Gabriel Resources.

to speak about dead persons e.g. Senator Fulbright had a dream: to provide opportunities for American and international students to travel and study, and thus act as cultural and scholarly ambassadors. He set up the Fulbright scholarship scheme precisely for this purpose.

Present Perfect Simple vs Past Tense

Translate: 1. Michael Jackson a sprijinit multe opere de caritate. 2. Bil Gates s-a implicat in numeroase proiecte de dezvoltare. 3. - Ai fost vreodata in Asia? - Da, am fost. - Une anume te-ai dus? - La Beijing. 4. - Vara trecuta ai fost la munte sau la mare?

Past Tense definite, specified time Present Perfect indefinite, non-specified time Past Tense in specific, WH- questions Present Perfect in general, yes/no questions

Past Tense Continuous

FORM: Aff: Sj + WAS/WERE + Vb-ing Neg.: Sj + WAS/WERE + NOT + Vb-ing Interr.: WAS/WERE + Sj + Vb-ing...? USE: to express an action that was in progress at a certain moment in the past e.g. What were you doing when the fire alarm went out?

to express two parallel actions, in progress in the past e.g. He was washing up while she was studying for her final exam in Microeconomics.

Past Perfect Simple

FORM: Aff.: Sj + HAD + Vb-Past Participle Neg.: Sj + HAD + NOT + Vb-Past Participle Interr: HAD + Sj + Vb-Past Participle Use: to express an action that took place in the past, before another past action Translate: Pina cind sa-mi dea el cartea de vizita, aflasem deja numarul lui din cartea de telefoane.

By the time he gave me his business card, I had already found out his phone number from the phone directory.

Past Perfect Continuous

FORM: Aff: Sj + HAD + BEEN + VB-ing Neg.: Sj + HAD + NOT + BEEN + Vb-ing Interr.: HAD + Sj + BEEN + Vb-ing...? USE: - it expresses an action that had been in progress for some time before anther action or a specific moment in the past. Translate: Noi citeam cu atentie raportul de 30 de minute cind ne-am dat seama ca e cel de trimestrul trecut, nu de pe trimestrul in curs.

We had been reading the report for 30 minutes when we realized that it was from last quarter, not from the current quarter.

Ways of Expressing the Future

Future Tense Simple Future Tense Continuous Future Perfect Be Going To Future Be about to, be on the verge/point of Present Tenses Be to Infinitive Time Clauses

Future Tense Simple

Form: Affirm: Sj + SHALL/WILL + Vb-Inf e.g. I'll see you tomorrow then! Neg: Sj + SHALL/WILL + NOT + Vb-Inf e.g. I won't write any more messages if you don't bother to respond. Interr: Shall/Will + Sj + Vb-Inf? e.g. Will you be in the office after 4?

USE
- an immediate decision about what one is going to do e.g. I'm quite thirsty. I'll just go and buy some water. - a general prediction e.g. When inflation rises, unemployment will also rise.

Future Tense Continuous

FORM: Affirm.: Sj + SHALL/WILL + BE + Vb-ing e.g. I'll be reorganising my files in my office desk at this time tomorrow. Neg.: j + SHALL/WILL + NOT + Vb-ing We won't be standing here waiting for him when he comes. We've had enough of waiting already. Interr. : SHALL/WILL + Sj+BE+Vb-ing Will you be supporting me if I decide to apply for a scholarship in the US?

USE: - an action that will be in progress at a definite moment in the future

FUTURE PERFECT
FORM: Affirm.: Sj + SHALL/WILL + HAVE + Vb Past Participle Neg. Sj+SHALL/WILL+NOT+HAVE+Vb-Participle Interr: SHALL/WILL + Sj+ HAVE+Vb-Past Participle?

e.g. By the time we launch the product on the Chinese market, we will have done several market surveys and improvements on the initial product prototype. I won't have finished the book before the deadline because I have lent it to Paul and he hasn't returned it yet. Will you have prepared everything for our colleague's party by the time he gets to the office?

be going to Future
- a personal intention e.g. We are going to have a break in a few minutes. - a prediction based on obvious, witnessed facts e.g. Look at all these clouds! It's going to rain soon.

Be about to, be on the verge of, be on the point of

- to express an immediate action, in the very near future e.g. Sorry, I can't answer you right now. I'm about to leave.

Present Tense Simple

- to express a future action that takes place according to an official, unalterable schedule e.g. The bus leaves in 5 minutes. The President visits Korea at the end of the month.

Present Tense Continuos

- to express a personal plan or arrangement, that can be changed e.g. I'm applying for 5 more jobs in advertising, so I need to redo my CV and prepare for interviews.

BE TO Infinitive

- to express an official arrangement or order e.g. You are to report to the police every week while your case is being investigated. Our company is to be given an award for good practices in Marketing.

Time Clauses
In

Time Clauses Future is never used in English e.g. Ill give him your regards when we next meet, on Tuesday morning. Ill send you the report after Ive proofread it myself. Time clauses are introduced by: when, after, as soon as, before, while, by the time, whenever, etc