Transcript past

Verbal tense and
aspect
What is tense?
In grammar, an inflected form of a verb indicating
the time of a narrated event in relation to the time
at which the narrator is speaking. –Encyclopedia
Britannica
Differences between tenses
and time
Time is a concept universally existent and tense
may be a grammatical device or vocabulary
device specific to a language.
e.g I enjoy English. (present)
I enjoyed English. (past)
I will enjoy English. (future??)
I’m going to enjoy English (future??)
A particular tense form can express different
temporal notions in different concepts.
How many Tenses in English?
Simple Present
The earth is round.
Light travels faster than sound.
Simple Past
WWWII ended in 1945.
We entered college in 2004.
Tenses are mutually exclusive.
ASPECT
In Grammar, aspect is an analytical device
used to reflect the way in which the verb
action is regarded or experienced with
respect to time.(Quirk et.al)
A category of the verb designating
primarily the relation of the action to the
passage of time, especially in reference to
completion, duration, or repetition. (AHD)
Differences between tense and
aspect
Tense is inflectional and aspect analytical.
Tense refers to a systematic set of inflectional
features that are loosely related to time, while
aspect is usually expressed through the use of
certain vocabulary devices.
Tense usually points to temporal locations and
aspect generally marks the state of an action—
whether it is completed or not.
How many aspects?
Progressive aspect
He is/was reading a book.
Perfective aspect
They have/had finished that work.
Aspects can be combined to form
complex aspects:
We have been studying English for 6
years.
Different combinations of
Tenses and Aspects
Simple present:
She plays the piano very well.
Simple past:
She play the piano very well.
Present progressive
She is playing the piano now.
Past progressive
she was playing the piano this time yesterday.
Different combinations of
Tense and aspects
Present perfective
she has played the piano fro half an hour.
Past perfective
By lunchtime, she had played the piano for an
hour.
Present perfective progressive
She has been playing the piano for a long time.
Past perfective progressive
By 10 o’clock she had been playing the piano
for two hours.
Use of simple present
Timeless present (timeless statement or
eternal truth)
Present existence or state:
Habitual present (regular recurrence/
dynamic verbs) (often/ sometimes/
occasionally etc)
Character/ ability present
she loves music.
He doesn’t speak French
Momentary and instantaneous present
(1) declarations
(2)commentaries
(3)demonstration
Use of simple present
Simple present referring to the
future(esp in independent clause)
Simple present referring to the
past (communication verbs such
as hear, tell, says, ect) and historic
present
Use of simple past
Past event
past habit
Past state
Simple past for present:
Attitudinal past
I wondered if you could help me post the letter
hypothetical past
If I were you, I would choose to leave at once.
Simple past for future
if it rained tomorrow, we’d have to stay at
home.
Use of present progressive
To denote an action in progress at the moment
of speaking
An action in progress at a period of time
including the present
a temporary event/habit
my roommate likes to stay in bed in the
morning, but he’s getting up early these days
because of the coming exam.
Characteristic habit
He is always criticizing others.
Note: progressive verbs& non-progressive
verbs
Use of present progressive
A future happening according
to a definite plan or
arrangement
To denote other
meanings(immediate past/
politer requests)
Use of past progressive
Denote an action in progress at a definite
point or period of past time
To denote a past habitual action
Incomplete actions
To denote futurity in the past
To make polite requests and express
hypothetical meanings
Differences between SP and PP
To denote an action in completion, we use the
simple past; an action in progress, we use the past
progressive
To state a mere past fact, simple past;on duration
of time, past progressive
Two actions: shorter duration by SP, but longer
duration by PP
In colloquial, PP is to show casualness,
unimportant and aimless, whereas
I was talking to Margaret the other day.
I talked to Margaret.
E) when we arrived, she was making some fresh
coffee
when we arrived, she made some fresh coffee.
Uses of present perfective
(1) present perfective
(2) present perfective progressive
Uses of past perfective
(1) past perfective
(2) past perfective progressive
(3) past perfective in sentence with
when-/before-/after-/untilclauses
(4) imaginary use of past perfective
More on the use of perfective
aspect
(1) perfective aspect and since- clause
(2) perfective aspect vs. have got / have
got to
(3) perfective aspect in
“It is the first time + that- clause
Means of Expressing Future Time
When we say that English has no
future tense, we certainly do not
mean that English has not the means
of expressing future time.
Constructions denoting future time
In English, future time is expressed
by means of modal auxiliaries, by
semi-auxiliaries, or by the simple
present and present progressive
forms.
Constructions denoting future time
(1) will/shall + infinitive
will with subjects of all three persons,
shall with a first person are used to
indicate futurity. The future meanings are
often colored by modal meanings from
predication to intention and volition.
Constructions denoting future time
(2) will / shall + progressive /
perfective infinitive
(3) be going to + infinitive
(4) present progressive
Constructions denoting future time
(5) be to + infinitive
(6) simple present
Means of expressing past future
Would + infinitive
Was / were going to + infinitive
Was / were to + infinitive
Past progressive and simple past
Was / were about to + infinitive
Assignment
1. Exercises in the Textbook
2. Is future another tense in English?