CATEGORIES:
BiologyChemistryConstructionCultureEcologyEconomyElectronicsFinanceGeographyHistoryInformaticsLawMathematicsMechanicsMedicineOtherPedagogyPhilosophyPhysicsPolicyPsychologySociologySportTourism
PRESENT CONTINUOUS (PRESENT PROGRESSIVE)
Formation: to be (am/ is/ are) + present participle e.g. Why are you sighing? I am thinking about my coming exams. Kelly is planning to take up tennis. Fred and George are playing snowballs. Why don’t you join them? Present Continuous is used: 1. for actions taking place now, at the moment of speaking, e.g. What are you doing, Jack? Are you reading a book? – No, I’m getting ready for tomorrow’s grammar test. 2. for temporary actions; that is, actions that are going on around now, but not at the actual moment of speaking. e.g. My older sister is looking for a new job these days. (She is not looking for a job at the moment of speaking.) 3. to express annoyance, irritation or anger for actions, which happen very often, usually, with adverbs such as: always, constantly, continually, etc. e.g. I'm always meeting Sara when I go shopping, (action which happens very often and the speaker is displeased with it) You're constantly interrupting me when I'm talking, (expressing annoyance, irritation) 4. for already arranged future actions, especially when the time and place have been decided. e.g. They're moving into their new house next week. (The time has been decided.) 5. for changing or developing situations, e.g. More and more species are becoming extinct. More and more forest are disappearing because of fires. 6. The present continuous is used with the following time expressions (adverbial modifiers of time: Now at the moment these days still Today nowadays tonight at present PRESENT PERFECT Formation: have/has + Past Participle e.g. I have seen Peter twice today. – Have you seen Ann too? – No I haven’t seen her yet. Jenny has lost her ring. - Has she lost her watch too? – No, luckily she hasn’t. Present Perfect is used:
e.g. Mrs. Swift has looked after little children all her life. I’ve done all my work for today and I’m free now.
e.g. They have been friends for twenty years. (They met each other twenty years ago and they are still friends.) They have been friends since they met in 1990.
e.g. Look at my basket. I’ve picked a lot of apples. (The apples are in the basket, so the action has finished.) 4. Present perfect is also used in clauses of time and condition for an action, which will be over before a certain moment in the future, e.g. The doctor will stay with us until your sister has fully recovered. Could you wait till I have made these sandwiches? 5. Present Perfect is also used for an action, which happened at an unstated time in the past.The exact timeis not important, so it is not mentioned. Theemphasis is placed on the action, e.g. Paul has broken his arm. (The exact time is not mentioned because what is important is the fact that his arm is broken.) Peter has been to Paris four times. (The exact time of each of his visits is not mentioned. What is important is the fact that he has visited Paris four times.) 6. Present Perfect is also used for an action which has happened within a specific time period, which is not over at the moment of speaking, such as today, this morning, this afternoon/week/month/year, etc. e.g. Pat has received three faxes this morning. (The action has been repeated three times up to now and may happen again because the time period - this morning - is not over yet.) She received three taxes this morning and answered all of them. (The time period – this morning - is over. It is now probably afternoon or evening).
e.g. It is the only book the writer has written. It is the first time I have tasted mango juice. It is the second time you’ve told it to me.
e.g. Mum, I have got married! Miss Flora, Peter has broken one of the windows in the classroom!
e.g. I have been to many European countries. John has never eaten fried bananas before.
e.g. Maria has typed ten reports today.
e.g. What has Bertha been doing all day? – I don’t know for sure, but I do know that she hasn’t lazed about.
e.g. We have already seen this film. Have you finished this book already? (surprise) · yet e.g. Has Roger left yet? Simon has not finished painting the hall yet. · just e.g. I have just phoned Jill. The postman has just brought a letter for Jane. · always, often e.g. Mary has always loved animals, she is going to be a vet. How often have you seen Robert this year? · ever, never e.g. Have you ever been abroad? I have never eaten oysters. · so far e.g. I have sent twenty invitations so far. What have you done so far? · lately, recently e.g. Peter has had a lot of good luck lately/recently. I haven’t seen much of him lately/recently. Notes: · “Yet” and “already”in general interrogative sentences have different meaning. “Already” is used to show surprise, e.g. Have you already done your homework? It can’t be so! You began only 10 minutes ago. “Yet” has no emotional colouring, e.g. Have you done your homework yet? Good. Now we can play football.
‘During’ is used to say ‘when’ something happened and is used with past tenses, e.g. It rained all Monday but stopped raining during the night. Paul was ill for a week and during that time he didn’t eat anything. ‘For’ answers the question ‘how long?’ and can be used with all tenses, e.g. I’m going to stay in Kiev for 3 weeks. (present continuous) I stayed in Kiev for 3 weeks last year. (past indefinite) Date: 2015-12-17; view: 3231
|