Father Fadi
05-01-2008, 08:45 PM
Simple Present:
a) Permanent truth: summer follows spring. Cases expand when heated.
b) Habitual action: I go to the movies every Saturday.
c) Future reference: (time tables – programs – events on a calendar):
The concert begins at 7:30.
d) Stative verbs (non-active verbs) we don't put an ing, like hear:
She loves him more him more than anything. I hear music.
I think grammar is easy. (I believe) we can't use with ing.
I'm thinking about you.
I'm feeling the radiator. (Touching).
I feel it will rain tomorrow.
General fact.
Present Progressive:
a) Action in progress, at the moment of speaking. We are studying the pip now.
b) Temporary situations: what are you doing these days? I'm studying English at the ALLC.
c) Planned actions in the future: we're spending next summer in the states. he's arriving tomorrow morning.
d) Repeated actions (habits) (always): he's always smoking. She's biting her nails.
Simple Past:
This is used to describe an action that was completed a specific time in the past. I saw Jane yesterday. I met Robert last year.
Past Progressive:
a) An action that was in progress in the past at a specific time. Philippa was working on her composition all night. I was sleeping at ten.
b) Interrupted actions: I was driving to work when I got flat tire. Tom met Frank Sinatra while he was living in Hollywood.
c) Parallel actions (2 actions that were in progress at the same time). While I was working in the garden, my sister was cooking dinner.
I was going to stay home, but I decided to go work.
Present Perfect:
a) This is used to express an action that happened before now at an unspecified time in the past. When we use it, there is a connection with now.
I have lost my keys. (I don't have them now).
I have already eaten. (I'm not hungry now). (I ate at 1:30)
She can't find her bag, have you seen it?
Just : I've just finished my homework.
Already : I've already seen this movie.
Have you already seen that movie?
Yet : I haven't finished my homework yet.
Haven't you finished your homework yet?
Has it stopped raining yet?
I've had 2 classes this morning (I'm in the morning).
I had 2 classes this morning (I'm in the afternoon).
b) We don't use the present perfect with (yesterday – last night). We use it in a period of time that hasn't finished (today – this morning).
c) It's used with (for + since) to express an action that began in the past, continues to the present and may continue to the future:
We have known each other for many years since 1983.
I've liked him since I was a child, for 3 years.
d) We use the present perfect to ask or say: how much – how many.
How many pages have you read?
Nany has written ten letters today.
They've played tennis three times this weed.
Present perfect progressive:
Subject + have/has + been + ing
a) Repeated action: he's been riding this horse since 1995.
I've been fishing since this morning.
b) We use the progressive to ask or say how long:
How long have you been reading this book? I've been reading it for 2 days.
c) Present perfect vs. present perfect progressive:
- You can use the simple or progressive with (live – work):
John has been living / has lived here for three years.
I've worked / been working here for three years.
- We use the simple with always: John has always worked in London.
- We can use the progressive or the simple with action repeated over a long time: I've been collecting / have collected stamps since I was child.
a) Permanent truth: summer follows spring. Cases expand when heated.
b) Habitual action: I go to the movies every Saturday.
c) Future reference: (time tables – programs – events on a calendar):
The concert begins at 7:30.
d) Stative verbs (non-active verbs) we don't put an ing, like hear:
She loves him more him more than anything. I hear music.
I think grammar is easy. (I believe) we can't use with ing.
I'm thinking about you.
I'm feeling the radiator. (Touching).
I feel it will rain tomorrow.
General fact.
Present Progressive:
a) Action in progress, at the moment of speaking. We are studying the pip now.
b) Temporary situations: what are you doing these days? I'm studying English at the ALLC.
c) Planned actions in the future: we're spending next summer in the states. he's arriving tomorrow morning.
d) Repeated actions (habits) (always): he's always smoking. She's biting her nails.
Simple Past:
This is used to describe an action that was completed a specific time in the past. I saw Jane yesterday. I met Robert last year.
Past Progressive:
a) An action that was in progress in the past at a specific time. Philippa was working on her composition all night. I was sleeping at ten.
b) Interrupted actions: I was driving to work when I got flat tire. Tom met Frank Sinatra while he was living in Hollywood.
c) Parallel actions (2 actions that were in progress at the same time). While I was working in the garden, my sister was cooking dinner.
I was going to stay home, but I decided to go work.
Present Perfect:
a) This is used to express an action that happened before now at an unspecified time in the past. When we use it, there is a connection with now.
I have lost my keys. (I don't have them now).
I have already eaten. (I'm not hungry now). (I ate at 1:30)
She can't find her bag, have you seen it?
Just : I've just finished my homework.
Already : I've already seen this movie.
Have you already seen that movie?
Yet : I haven't finished my homework yet.
Haven't you finished your homework yet?
Has it stopped raining yet?
I've had 2 classes this morning (I'm in the morning).
I had 2 classes this morning (I'm in the afternoon).
b) We don't use the present perfect with (yesterday – last night). We use it in a period of time that hasn't finished (today – this morning).
c) It's used with (for + since) to express an action that began in the past, continues to the present and may continue to the future:
We have known each other for many years since 1983.
I've liked him since I was a child, for 3 years.
d) We use the present perfect to ask or say: how much – how many.
How many pages have you read?
Nany has written ten letters today.
They've played tennis three times this weed.
Present perfect progressive:
Subject + have/has + been + ing
a) Repeated action: he's been riding this horse since 1995.
I've been fishing since this morning.
b) We use the progressive to ask or say how long:
How long have you been reading this book? I've been reading it for 2 days.
c) Present perfect vs. present perfect progressive:
- You can use the simple or progressive with (live – work):
John has been living / has lived here for three years.
I've worked / been working here for three years.
- We use the simple with always: John has always worked in London.
- We can use the progressive or the simple with action repeated over a long time: I've been collecting / have collected stamps since I was child.