The final collection of English grammar notes-3 comparison of several common tenses

A comparison of several common tenses

1. General present and present time

(1) The present time is used to illustrate objective facts, or to emphasize the permanent, recurrent or repetitive action. Now the emphasis is on the action, so it indicates that the action is transient (that is, the duration of the action is limited) and not complete.

The writer writes children ' s stories. The writer is writing children's novels. (Description of objective facts)

The writer is now writing a story. The writer is writing a story now.

She is kind. She is very kind. (= She has always been good-hearted)

She is being kind. She looks very kind now. (for temporary, she is not good at ordinary times)

Tom types his own letters. Tom himself used the printer to make a letter. (Description recurring)

Tom is typing his own letters today. Tom is using the printer today to get a letter (indicating temporary, unfinished)

(2) Some verbs, such as: like, hate, believe, guess, know, mean, remember, hear, see, sound, seem, etc., cannot be used for the time being, Even the actions that are being performed while speaking are usually used in the present time. Such as:

I know him. I know him. (Not said: I am knowing him.)

Jenny likes this green coat. Jenny likes the Green coat. (Don't say: Jenny is liking ...) ）

Some verbs can be used both in normal and present tense, but in different meanings. Try to compare:

I feel (=think, believe) you are right/there ' s something wrong. I think (= think, believe) that you are right/something is amiss. (This meaning is not required)

I ' m feeling cold. I feel cold.

What is thinking about? What you're thinking.

What does think of the idea? What do you think of the idea?

I Think You "re right. I think you are right.

He is smelling the meat. He is smelling meat.

The meat smells bad. The meat smells bad.

I See (=understand) how you mean. I know what you mean.

I See the fish now. I saw the fish.

I ' m seeing (=consulting) a doctor. I am seeing a doctor (ie a doctor).

I ' m seeing (=visiting) a friend of mine. I'm looking at a friend.

Some words that express bodily sensations (such as hurt, ache, feel, etc.) are not much different when used in the present and present time, but are more vivid and emotional when carried out. For example:

How does you feel today? (Or:how is you feeling today?) How are you feeling today?

My head is aching.  (Or:my head aches.) I have a headache.

I feel cold.=i ' m feeling cold. I feel cold.

(3) The general present time to explain the fact, generally does not have the sentiment color, now carries on with always, often, frequently and so on the words with the emotion color. For example:

He always asks questions. He always ask questions. (No emotional color)

He is always asking questions. He always likes to ask questions. (Expressing a strong emotional color)

Don ' t be complaining all the time. Don't keep complaining.

She ' s always blaming others. She is always complaining about others.

2 , a past time and now complete

(1) The general past is simply a description of the past situation, and now does not occur, it can be determined to indicate the past time adverbial used. And now the completion of a certain completion of the action on the current impact or result, emphasizing the current situation, so it can not be used with the specific expression of the past time adverbial. Such as:

We have visited a power station. We visited the power station. (now know more about the plant)

We visited a power station last week. We visited the power station last week. (Facts only)

I have lost my pen. I have lost my pen. (not found yet)

She lost her pen yesterday. She lost her pen yesterday. (found now or not, no description)

(2) Some time adverbial, such as this morning, tonight, this month, etc., can be used in the general past, but also can be used to complete, but the meaning of the expression is different. This is not relevant to the "now" when it is used for the current completion to include "Now" and for the general past. For example:

I have the read this book this April. I have read this book in April this year. (April is still spoken)

I Read this book, this April. I have read this book in April this year. (April has been spoken)

I have written and letters this morning. I wrote two letters this morning. (still in the morning when speaking)

I wrote the letters this morning. I wrote two letters this morning. (in the afternoon or evening when speaking)

3. General Past and past

In the past, it is often said that the action is over, and that the action is in progress and not completed in the past. Try to compare:

Mary wrote a letter to his friend last night. Mary wrote a letter to her friend last night. (Letter finished)

Mary was writing a letter to her friend last night. Mary was writing a letter to her friend last night. (The letter is not necessarily finished)

I read a novel last night. I read a novel last night. (to have already seen)

I was reading a novel last night. I was reading a novel last night. (referring to a few)

I often went swimming while I am living in Qingdao. I often go swimming when I live in Qingdao.

I was running downstairs when I saw her. I was running downstairs when I saw her.

I ran downstairs and found her gone. I ran down the stairs and found her gone.

4. General Past and past completion

(1) The general past indicates the state of the action or presence that occurred in the past, and the past completion indicates that a previous action occurred before another action. Try to compare:

The class had already begun when I came to school. When I came to school, I had already started class.

He had gone home before I got to his office. Before I got to his office, he had gone home.

(2) in the compound sentence of a time adverbial clause with after or before guidance, it is possible to replace the past with the general past when the order of the clause action and the main sentence action has been very clear:

He called on me soon after he had returned. He called on me soon after he came back. It can also be said that he called on me soon after He returned.

The train had left before I got to the station. When I got to the station, the train had already gone. It can also be said: The train left before I got to the station.

(3) describe a series of past actions that do not need to be completed in the past, such as:

He stood up, took his bag, put on his hat, left the and went away. He stood up, picked up his schoolbag, put on his hat, and left the room to go.

She looked around but saw nothing. She looked around, but saw nothing.

He came in and said hello to everyone. He came in and said hello to everyone.

Because of the different ways of expressing tenses in Chinese and English, Chinese people often make tense mistakes when they learn and apply English, especially when writing letters, writing e-mails, and writing narrative texts. The common types of temporal errors are: tenses do not correspond, all must be used in several tenses in a tense, tense mixed or strung (as in the description of past experience, sometimes used now); If we make some tense mistakes in our daily verbal communication, this is unavoidable and understandable. However, in formal situations, such as formal writing, it is not possible to allow for temporal errors, because this is the basis of English grammar. The purpose of our study of tenses lies mainly in application. Therefore, in the use of English, especially in writing, it is necessary to sometimes state consciousness, over the same time can form the correct use of the tense habit.

The final collection of English grammar notes-3 comparison of several common tenses