Thursday, 10 August 2017

Grammar Class-4

Each main tense is divided into 4 subcategories.

a) simple

b) progressive/continuous

c) perfect

d) perfect progressive/continuous

In the previous class, we have discussed "Present Simple". So, today we will discuss "Present Progressive/continuous".

"Present Tense".

c) Present Perfect

putting emphasis on the result
action that is still going on
action that stopped recently
finished action that has an influence on the present
action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking

Examples (Affirmative/Negative/Question)

A: He has spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?

already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now are signal words.

Or,

PRESENT PERFECT

DEFINITION OF THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and the past. The time of the action is before now but not specified, and we are often more interested in the result than in the action itself.

BE CAREFUL! There may be a verb tense in your language with a similar form, but the meaning is probably NOT the same.

THE PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE

An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present. I have lived in Bristol since 1984 (= and I still do.)
An action performed during a period that has not yet finished. She has been to the cinema twice this week (= and the week isn't over yet.)
A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now. We have visited Portugal several times.
An action that was completed in the very recent past, expressed by 'just'. I have just finished my work.
An action when the time is not important. He has read 'War and Peace'. (= the result of his reading is important)

Note: When we want to give or ask details about when, where, who, we use the simple past. Read more about choosing between the present perfect and the simple past tenses.

ACTIONS STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUING IN THE PRESENT

They haven't lived here for years.
She has worked in the bank for five years.
We have had the same car for ten years.
Have you played the piano since you were a child?

WHEN THE TIME PERIOD REFERRED TO HAS NOT FINISHED

I have worked hard this week.
It has rained a lot this year.
We haven't seen her today.

ACTIONS REPEATED IN AN UNSPECIFIED PERIOD BETWEEN THE PAST AND NOW.

They have seen that film six times
It has happened several times already.
She has visited them frequently.
We have eaten at that restaurant many times.

ACTIONS COMPLETED IN THE VERY RECENT PAST (+JUST)

Have you just finished work?
I have just eaten.
We have just seen her.
Has he just left?

WHEN THE PRECISE TIME OF THE ACTION IS NOT IMPORTANT OR NOT KNOWN

Someone has eaten my soup!
Have you seen 'Gone with the Wind'?
She's studied Japanese, Russian, and English.

FORMING THE PRESENT PERFECT

The present perfect of any verb is composed of two elements : the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present tense), plus the past participle of the main verb. The past participle of a regular verb is base+ed, e.g. played, arrived, looked. For irregular verbs, see the Table of irregular verbs in the section called 'Verbs'.

Affirmative
Subject	*to have*	past participle
She	has	visited.
Negative
Subject	*to have + not*	past participle
She	has not (hasn't)	visited.
Interrogative
*to have*	subject	past participle
Has	she	visited?
Negative interrogative
to have + not	subject	past participle
Hasn't	she	visited?

TO WALK, PRESENT PERFECT

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I have walked	I haven't walked	Have I walked?
You have walked	You haven't walked.	Have you walked?
He, she, it has walked	He, she, hasn't walked	Has he, she, it walked?
We have walked	We haven't walked	Have we walked?
You have walked	You haven't walked	Have you walked?
They have walked	They haven't walked	Have they walked?

d) perfect progressive/continuous

The PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE indicates a continuous action that has been finished at some point in the past or that was initiated in the past and continues to happen. The action is usually of limited duration and has some current relevance
putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)
action that recently stopped or is still going on
finished action that influenced the present

Examples (Affirmative/Negative/Question)

A: He has been speaking.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?

all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week (signal words)

Or,

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The present perfect continuous is used to refer to an unspecified time between 'before now' and 'now'. The speaker is thinking about something that started but perhaps did not finish in that period of time. He/she is interested in the process as well as the result, and this process may still be going on, or may have just finished.

ACTIONS THAT STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUE IN THE PRESENT

She has been waiting for you all day (= and she's still waiting now).
I've been working on this report since eight o'clock this morning (= and I still haven't finished it).
They have been travelling since last October (= and they're not home yet).

ACTIONS THAT HAVE JUST FINISHED, BUT WE ARE INTERESTED IN THE RESULTS

She has been cooking since last night (= and the food on the table looks delicious).
It's been raining (= and the streets are still wet).
Someone's been eating my chips (= half of them have gone).

FORMING THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

The present perfect continuous is made up of two elements: the present perfect of the verb 'to be' (have/has been), and the present participle of the main verb (base+ing)

Subject	has/have been	base+ing
She	has been	swimming

Affirmative: She has been / She's been running.
Negative: She hasn't been running.
Interrogative : Has she been running?
Interrogative negative: Hasn't she been running?

EXAMPLE: PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS, TO LIVE

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I have been living	I haven't been living	Have I been living?
You have been living	You haven't been living	Have you been living?
He, she, it has been living	He hasn't been living	Has she been living?
We have been living	We haven't been living	Have we been living?
You have been living	You haven't been living	Have you been living?
They have been living	They haven't been living	Have they been living?

VERBS WITHOUT CONTINUOUS FORMS

With verbs not normally used in the continuous form, use the simple present perfect instead (verbs such as: know, hate, hear, understand, want).
I've wanted to visit China for years.
She's known Robert since she was a child.
I've hated that music since I first heard it.
I've heard a lot about you recently.
We've understood everything.

Monday, 17 April 2017

Grammar Class-3

Each main tense is divided into 4 subcategories.

a) simple

b) progressive/continuous

c) perfect

d) perfect progressive/continuous

In the previous class, we have discussed "Present Simple". So, today we will discuss "Present Progressive/continuous".

"Present Tense".

b) Present Progressive/continuous".

action taking place in the moment of speaking
action taking place only for a limited period of time
action arranged for the future

Examples (Affirmative/Negative/Question)

A: He is speaking.

N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?

More Examples..........

Or,

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FORMING THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

The present continuous of any verb is composed of two parts - the present tense of the verb to be + the present participle of the main verb.

(The form of the present participle is: base+ing, e.g. talking, playing, moving, smiling)

Affirmative
Subject	+ *to be*	+ base + ing
She	is	talking.
Negative
Subject	+ to be + not	+ base + ing
She	is not (isn't)	talking
Interrogative
*to be*	+ subject	+ base + ing
Is	she	talking?

EXAMPLES: TO GO, PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I am going	I am not going	Am I going?
You are going	You aren't going.	Are you going?
He, she, it is going	He, she, it isn't going	Is he, she, it going?
We are going	We aren't going	Are we going?
You are going	You aren't going	Are you going?
They are going	They aren't going	Are they going?

Note: alternative negative contractions: I'm not going, you're not going, he's not going etc.

FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

As with all tenses in English, the speaker's attitude is as important as the time of the action or event. When someone uses the present continuous, they are thinking about something that is unfinished or incomplete

THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS IS USED:

to describe an action that is going on at this moment: You are using the Internet. You are studying English grammar.
to describe an action that is going on during this period of time or a trend: Are you still working for the same company? More and more people are becoming vegetarian.
to describe an action or event in the future, which has already been planned or prepared: We're going on holiday tomorrow. I'm meeting my boyfriend tonight. Are they visiting you next winter?
to describe a temporary event or situation: He usually plays the drums, but he's playing bass guitar tonight. The weather forecast was good, but it's raining at the moment.
with "always, forever, constantly", to describe and emphasise a continuing series of repeated actions: Harry and Sally are always arguing! You're constantly complaining about your mother-in-law!

BE CAREFUL! Some verbs are not usually used in the continuous form

VERBS THAT ARE NOT USUALLY USED IN THE CONTINUOUS FORM

The verbs in the list below are normally used in the simple form because they refer to states, rather than actions or processes.

SENSES / PERCEPTION

to feel*
to hear
to see*
to smell
to taste

OPINION

to assume
to believe
to consider
to doubt
to feel (= to think)
to find (= to consider)
to suppose
to think*

MENTAL STATES

to forget
to imagine
to know
to mean
to notice
to recognise
to remember
to understand

EMOTIONS / DESIRES

to envy
to fear
to dislike
to hate
to hope
to like
to love
to mind
to prefer
to regret
to want
to wish

MEASUREMENT

to contain
to cost
to hold
to measure
to weigh

OTHERS

to look (=resemble)
to seem
to be (in most cases)
to have(when it means "to possess")*

EXCEPTIONS

Perception verbs (see, hear, feel, taste, smell) are often used with can: : I can see... These verbs may be used in the continuous form but with a different meaning

This coat feels nice and warm. (your perception of the coat's qualities)
John's feeling much better now (his health is improving)
She has three dogs and a cat. (possession)
She's having supper. (She's eating)
I can see Anthony in the garden (perception)
I'm seeing Anthony later (We are planning to meet)

Grammar Class-2

Each main tense is divided into 4 subcategories.

a) simple

b) progressive/continuous

c) perfect

d) perfect progressive/continuous

So, today we will learn about "Present Tense".

"Present Tense".

a) Simple Present:

action in the present taking place regularly, often, usually, always, sometimes, never or several times
facts
actions taking place one after another
action set by a timetable or schedule

Examples (Affirmative/Negative/Question)

A: He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?

Some more examples..............

Or,

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

The simple present tense is one of several forms of present tense in English. It is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed arrangements. The simple present tense is simple to form. Just use the base form of the verb: (I take, you take, we take, they take) The 3rd person singular takes an -s at the end. (he takes, she takes)

THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE IS USED:

To express habits, general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations, emotions and wishes:
I smoke (habit); I work in London (unchanging situation); London is a large city (general truth)
To give instructions or directions:
You walk for two hundred meters, then you turn left.
To express fixed arrangements, present or future:
Your exam starts at 09.00
To express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as, until:
He'll give it to you when you come next Saturday.

For habits
He drinks tea at breakfast.
She only eats fish.
They watch television regularly.
For repeated actions or events
We catch the bus every morning.
It rains every afternoon in the hot season.
They drive to Monaco every summer.
For general truths
Water freezes at zero degrees.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
Her mother is Peruvian.

For instructions or directions
Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
You take the No.6 bus to Watney and then the No.10 to Bedford.
For fixed arrangements
His mother arrives tomorrow.
Our holiday starts on the 26th March
With future constructions
She'll see you before she leaves.
We'll give it to her when she arrives.

FORMING THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE: TO THINK

Affirmative	Interrogative	Negative
I think	Do I think?	I do not think
You think	Do you think?	You do not think
He thinks	Does he think?	He does not think
She thinks	Does she think?	She does not think
It thinks	Does it think?	It does not think
We think	Do we think?	We do not think.
They think	Do they think?	They do not think.

NOTES ON THE SIMPLE PRESENT, THIRD PERSON SINGULAR

In the third person singular the verb always ends in -s:
he wants, she needs, he gives, she thinks.
Negative and question forms use DOES (= the third person of the auxiliary 'DO') + the infinitive of the verb.
He wants ice cream. Does he want strawberry? He does not want vanilla.
Verbs ending in -y : the third person changes the -y to -ies:
fly --> flies, cry --> cries
Exception: if there is a vowel before the -y:
play --> plays, pray --> prays
Add -es to verbs ending in:-ss, -x, -sh, -ch:
he passes, she catches, he fixes, it pushes

EXAMPLES

He goes to school every morning.
She understands English.
It mixes the sand and the water.
He tries very hard.
She enjoys playing the piano.