I Habitual Actions (the core uses of the Pr. Ind.)

a) a regularly repeated action: I normally go to bed around midnight.

b) an action characterizing a person, their skills, habits and abilities: John smokes a lot.

c) universal truths: Water freezes at 0 degrees Centigrade.

II Actions going on at the moment of speaking (“momentary present”)

a) with verbs not normally found in the Continuous form: I see what you mean.

b) with performative verbs – describing what the speaker is doing by uttering the sentence:

I apologize.

c) if an action is not viewed in its progress; when the occurrence itself is named: How time flies!

III Future actions

In simple sentences with verbs of motion and other groups of verbs, when the action is regarded as fixed (timetable, schedule, calendar, etc.): My ship sails at 10.

In complex sentences

- in adverbial clauses of time: We’ll be married the moment we find a flat.

- of condition : She won’t say a word unless she’s spoken to.

- of concession: You’ll have to do it, whether you like it or not.

In other types of clauses joined with -ever compounds: Whoever comes here will be given a warm welcome.

- of purpose and precaution, esp. after in case: In case I forget all about it, send me a reminder.

IV Past Actions

1) In narration of past events, so as to make them sound more vivid and closer to the reader/hearer (“historical present”) or in speaking of an author’s writings: Shakespeare uses a large number of metaphors. Or in newspaper headlines: Boy Saves Train.

NOTE the use of the Past Indefinite for politeness: I wondered if you were free this evening. I thought you might like some flowers.

26)The continuous and perfect continuous aspect. Verbs not used in the continuous form.(Кузнецова М.)

The perfect continuous is not considered as an aspect in itself; rather it is the combination of the perfect and continuous aspects.

It is expressed with the auxiliaries have and been (the third form of be), and the (present participle) -ingform of the verb. Depending on the time of the action, we use the past (had), present (have, has) or modal + infinitive (e.g. would have) form of have.

The perfect continuous expresses that the action had, has or will have been in progress for some time at a particular point of time. This point of time may be defined by a time expression (at 5 o'clock) or a clause(when she gets home).

Examples of the perfect continuous:

I've been waiting for this moment all my life. (from when I was born until now)
At 5 o'clock he had been writing his homework for an hour. (from 4 to 5 o'clock)
When she gets home, Kevin will have been sleeping for hours. (from some time before she gets home until she gets home)
He's been ironing his shirts. (from some time in the past until now)
I wouldn't have been sitting there, if I hadn't had to. (from some time in the past until a later time in the past)

Both tenses have a continuous form. These continuous tenses are formed with the verb be and the –ing form of the verb:

We use continuous aspect:

· for something happening before and aftera given time.

He’s getting on the train. [before and after the moment of speaking]
It was quarter past ten. We were watching the news on television.

· for something continuing before and afteranother action:

Mother will be cooking the dinner when we get home.
We were waiting for the bus when it started to rain.

· for something continuing for some time:

Everybody will be waiting for us.
They had been working hard all day.

· for something happening again and again:

They’ve been doing that every day this week.
The children were always shouting.
He will be practising the piano every night.

· for something temporary:

We are rentingan apartment until our house is ready..
He was workingin a garage during the vacation.

· for something new:

We have moved from Birmingham. We’re living in Manchester now.
He had left university and was working in his father’s business.

· to describe something changingor developing:

Everything has been gettingmore difficult.
He was growingmore bad-tempered every day.

The continuous aspect is expressed with the auxiliary be and the (present participle) -ing form of the verb. Depending on the time of the action, we use the past (was, were), present (am, are, is) or modal + infinitive (e.g. will be) form of be.

The continuous aspect focuses on the duration of an event. It expresses that the action was, is or will be in progress at a particular point of time or over a period of time. The point of time may be defined by a time expression (now, at 5 o'clock yesterday, this time tomorrow) or a clause (when I came home, when I come home). For the period of time we can also use a time expression (all day yesterday) or a clause (while she was reading).

Examples of the continuous aspect:

Are you enjoying yourself? (now)
At 5 o'clock I was sitting on the bus.
When I came home she was sleeping.
She must be waiting for me. (now)
Johnny was playing computer games all day yesterday.
While she was reading, George was doing the dishes.
In January, I'll be living at my brother's.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 832