PRESENT PERFECT
- explicity indefinite time
e.g.: Jill has never travelled by plane. .
Have you
ever been here before?
I have often read
about her in the
newspapers.
- a time not yet over
e.g.: They have visited us twice this week. Hasn't she taken a holiday this year ?
We've
done a lot of work today haven't we?
note
- the PRESENT PERFECT often suggests DURATION (how long?/ since
when?-questions; for/since-answers),
e.g.: How long have they lived in London? e.g.: How long have they lived in London?
We haven't
met them for a long time.
Frank must be hungry - he hasn't eaten anything since
morning.
- in order to emphasize that the action has been a) uninterrupted or to
imply b) continuity up to now we use the CONTINUOUS ASPECT,
e.g.: a) Sheila is tired as she's been cleanig up all day.
I'm rather bored; I've been giving the same course since
morning.
b) I've been typing 9 o'clock . (uninterruptedly) uninterruptedly)
How long has she been sleeping? (which means that she
is still sleeping)
Mark has been working for their company for two years.
( he is still working there)
e.g.: No, you can't speak to him, he has just left for Prague.
Haven't you finished yet?
I have already explained why.
Jessie looks pale; she has worked/ha been working hard lately.
v Due to its relationship with the PRESENT, the PRESENT PERFECT,
is much used in CONVERSATION (where actions that took place
some time ago may be a novelty for the speaker), as in:
I see you' I see you've bought a new hat . or I hear they've got married .
PAST TENSE
Past Actions completed at a definite time or a time which is now terminated : PAST TENSE
e.g.: He was born in1976.
Where did she graduate?
School started on September 15.
a time which is now terminated
e.g.: Weren't you at the concert last week, or didn't I see you ?
Last year we spent 3 months in the
Holland.
Doris gave a course on this subject
yesterday.
note
the time may be given/asked about/missing ; an adverb of place or
the context suggests a definite result,
e.g.: I found it at the book-shop acros the street.
"Have you seen the play they put on at
the National?" "Yes, and I liked
it very much."
- no matter how long time ago something happened, this adverb
requires the PAST TENSE(as it suggests completion of the action),
e.g.: The Sumerian civilization flourished some 6 millenia ago.
Clara's not here; she went out two minutes ago.
- PAST TENSE is the tense of the narative.
SIMPLE PAST to indicate a more casual, less deliberate action,
e.g.: Jane was cleaning up in the morning .(i.e. probably as usual)
We were watching TV, father was listening to the news -
nothing special.
Joy was driving and we were Joy drove quickly around the town,
listening to music and chatting. and went out into the highway
(routine action) only four miles away.
We were just talking about you - I talked to Mr. Hopkins about your
Mr.Hopkins and I. (casual problem. (I took the initiative-
action) with a certain purpose, personally)
e.g.: They had sold the merchandise before the prices went up.
We thanked them for what they had done for us.
After she had told me her name I remembered who she was and
where we had first met.
When we arrived the play had already begun.
I was just wondering why you hadn't told her the truth.
e.g.: Stan had been climbing for three hours before he decided to stop
and have a rest.
After she had been saving money for two years, she spent it all in
several months.
The children had been watching TV for half an hour when their
mother switched it off.
I had been practising for only a quarter of an hour by the time you
interrupted me.
The grass was wet because it had been raining all night.
For the relationship between the PAST TENSES and their ASPECTS see the SEQUENCE OF TENSES.
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