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1、Use of tenses Talking about the present The present progressive is used: ?to talk about an action that is happening now, or about a temporary situation: jWerejust havingbreakfast. jWhat areyou reading? jShesnot listeningto me. jTheyrespendinga year in Spain. ?to talk about something that is not yet
2、finished, even if you are not doing it at the moment when you are talking: jIm learningItalian. jShes writinga novel. ?with always, to talk about something that happens often, and that you find annoying: jHesalways askingsilly questions. jTheyrealways cominground here to borrow something. NSome verb
3、s are not used in the progressive tenses, for example need, want, know, agree, seem, appear, understand, smell, hear, etc. These verbs refer to a state, not an action. jI need some new shoes. jHe wantsto go home. jDoyou knowTania Smith? jThey loveJapanese food. jShe hatesher job. NOther verbs are us
4、ed in the present progressive when they refer to an action, and the present simple when they refer to a state: jHes tasting the soup. jThe soup tastessalty. jShes being difficult again. jShesa difficult child. jWhat areyou thinkingabout? jDo you thinkI should leave? The present simple is used: ?to t
5、alk about a permanent situation or something that is always true: jHe livesin Spain. jDoeshe workin a factory? jInsects havesix legs. jWhat temperature doeswater boilat? ?to talk about things that happen regularly: jShe leavesfor school at 8 oclock. jWe dontoften goout for a meal. jWhat time doyou c
6、atchthe bus? Talking about the past The past simple is used: ?to talk about an action that took place in the past: jHe gotup, paidthe bill and left. jI didnt readthe letter, I just gaveit to Lee. jWhat didyou say? NOften a specific time in the past is mentioned: jDidyou speakto Amy yesterday? ?to ta
7、lk about a state that continued for some time, but that is now finished: jI wentto school in Scotland. jDidshe really workthere for ten years? ?to talk about actions that happened regularly in the past: jI often played tennis with her. She always won. jThey never wentto the cinema when they lived in
8、 the country. The present perfect is used: ?to talk about something that happened during a period of time that is not yet finished: jThe train has beenlate three times this week. jHe still hasnt visitedher. ?when the time in the past is not mentioned, or is not important: jHes written a book. jWeve
9、boughta new computer. ?when the action finished in the past, but the effect is still felt in the present: jHes lost his calculator (and he still hasnt found it). ?with for and since to show the duration of an action or state up until the present: jI have workedhere since 1998. jShe hasnt bought any
10、new clothes for years. ?in British English, with just, ever, alreadyand yet: jIve just arrived. jHaveyou ever beenhere before? jHesalready packedhis suitcases. jHaventyou finishedyet? NIn informal American English the past simple can be used with just, alreadyand yet: jHe already packedhis suitcases
11、. jDidntyou finishyet? Use of tenses ALD7 House R031-032 Tenses.qxd 23/10/2007 12:08 Page 31 Use of tenses The present perfect progressive is used: ?with for and since to talk about an activity that started in the past and is still happening: jIve been workingsince eight oclock. jHesbeen learningEng
12、lish for several years. ?to talk about an activity that has finished, but whose results are visible now: jMy hands are dirty because Ivebeen gardening. The past progressive is used: ?to talk about an action that was in progress at a particular time in the past: jWhat wereyou doingin the summer of 19
13、99? jWasit rainingwhen you left home? ?to talk about something that was already in progress when something else happened. (You use the past simple for the action that interrupts it): jThe doorbell rang while they were having breakfast. NAs with the present progressive, this tense cannot be used with
14、 state verbs: jThe fresh bread smelledwonderful (notwas smelling). The past perfect is used: ?to talk about something that happened before another action in the past: jI hadalready metEd before he came to Bath. jWhen I got to the station, the train had left. The past perfect progressive is used: ?wi
15、th for or since to talk about an activity that started at a time further back in the past than something else: jShe hadnt been livingthere very long when she met Mark. ?to talk about an activity that had a result in the past: jMy hands were dirty because I had been gardening. Talking about the futur
16、e There are several ways of talking about the future. The future simple (will with the infinitive) is used: ?to talk about a decision that you make as you are speaking: jIts cold in here. OK, Ill close the window. jIll have the salad, please. ?to talk about what you know or think will happen in the
17、future (but not about your own intentions or plans): jHer mother will beninety next week. jWillhe passthe exam, do you think? jThis job wont takelong. ?for requests, promises and offers: jWillyou buysome bread on your way home? jWell beback early, dont worry. jIll help you with your homework. Howeve
18、r, other tenses and expressions are also used to express a future idea. The present progressive is used: ?to talk about future plans where the time is mentioned: jHes flyingto Japan in August. jWhat areyou doingthis evening? jImnot startingmy new job till next Monday. Be going to with the infinitive
19、 is used: ?to talk about what you intend to do in the future: jIm going to phoneMichael tonight. jWhat areyou going to dowhen you leave school? About to with the infinitive is used: ?to talk about the very near future: jGo and ask him quickly. Hes about to go out. The present simple is used: ?to ref
20、er to a future time after when, as soon as, before, until, etc.: jRing me as soon as you hearany news. jIll look after Jo until you getback. jYoull recognize the street when you seeit. ?to talk about future plans where something has been officially arranged, for example on a timetable or programme:
21、jWe leavePalma at 10 and arrivein Luton at 12.30. jSchool startson 9 September. The future progressive is used: ?to talk about actions that will continue for a period of time in the future: jIll be waiting near the ticket office. Ill be wearing a green hat. jThis time next week youll be relaxing in
22、the sun! ?to ask somebody about their plans or intentions: jHow many nights willyou bestaying? jWillyou be flyingback or goingby train? The future perfect or the future perfect progressive is used: ?to talk about the duration of something that you will be looking back on at a particular time in the future: jTheyll have lived here for four years in May. jShell have been working here for a year in October. ALD7 House R031-032 Tenses.qxd 23/10/2007 12:08 Page 32