The Present Indefinite versus the Present Continuous

 

№

П/п

Meaning

The Present Indefinite

The Present Continuous

Meaning Example Meaning

Example

Present action

1. present action permanent action in the present     He teaches English literature at Oxford.

temporary action

in the present

This week he is giving lectures on Irish poetry at Eton College. 2. permanent characteristic of a person   permanent characteristic of a person that is emotionally neutral (marginal case)         She always talks too much when she is nervous.

 

permanent

characteristic of

a person that is emotionally coloured

(+ always, constantly)

    She is always talking too much when she is nervous. It drives me mad!

Future action

 

3. future action that is certain to take place in the near future   due to the official arrangement (timetable, schedule, programme)       The Baker Street train leaves at 8.08.   due to one’s previous decision / personal arrangement

 

 

They are leaving for holiday tomorrow afternoon.

             

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Table 7

The Present Perfect in Use

№п/п

Meaning

Example

Present Perfect I (Present Perfect proper)

1.

An accomplished action

Viewed from the moment of speaking

As a part of the present situation

·  attention is centered on the action itself

· circumstances appear to be unimportant

+ adverbial modifiers just, already, yet, not…yet, before, always, never, ever, recently= lately= of late

    1) He is very sensitive. I have just discovered that. 2) I haven’t talked to him yet. I don’t know how to do it less painfully. 3) Has she passed her final exam yet?

Present Perfect II

2.

 

an action which began before the moment of speaking and continues up to it or into it (instead of Present Perfect Continuous I)

 

 

 

with stative verbs

(see scheme 2, p. 4)

+ for +(period of time) I' ve known this young lady for all my life. + since *1) as an adverb, *2) as a preposition, *3) as a conjunction       1) We have known each other since.     2) We have known each other since childhood. 3) We have known each other since we went to the same school.

 

with dynamic verbs when the action is not viewed in its process

+ for +(period of time) I’ ve lived in this beautiful house for twenty years. + since *1) as an adverb, *2) as a preposition, *3) as a conjunction       1) I’ ve lived in this beautiful house since.     2) I’ ve lived in this beautiful house since childhood.     3) I’ ve lived in this beautiful house since we moved here.

 

 

in negative sentences

+ for +(period of time) Shall we sit down a little? We haven’t sat for ages. + since *1) as an adverb, *2) as a preposition, *3) as a conjunction       1) He hasn’t written to me since.     2) He hasn’t written to me since that autumn.     3) He hasn’t written to me since we quarrelled.

Present Perfect III

3.

a future action that will be accomplished before the action of the principal clause (in adverbial clauses of time introduced by

when, before, after, as soon as, till, until)

1) You’ll find that you’ll long for home, when you have left it.   2) As soon as I have had some tea, we will go for a walk.

* since as   an adverb (с тех пор) – doesn’t  require any other  word /  words to complete its meaning e.g. I’ ve seen him every day since .- Я вижу его каждый день с тех пор.

* since as   a preposition – introduces a prepositional phrase with a noun as a headword   e.g. The sun has been in the room since morning. - Солнце (находится) в комнате с утра.

* since as   a conjunction – introduces a subclause of time e.g. She has been much better since she started the injections. – Она чувствует себя намного лучше с тех пор, как ей начали делать инъекции.

(Note! The Past Indefinite is generally used in  the since- subclause to express a single past action, that serves as a starting point for the action of the principal clause, see started above)

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                             Table 8

The Present Perfect versus the Past Indefinite

The Present Perfect (= Present Perfect I)	The Past Indefinite

Time reference

present time reference past time reference

Adverbial modifiers

  indicators of indefinite time and frequency such as just, already, yet, not… yet, always, never, ever, recently (= lately= of late) e.g. I ’ve just broken the vase. I’m being so awkward today.     indicators of the past time, such as yesterday, five days ago, last month, in 2005, etc. e.g. Yesterday I broke my mum’s favourite elephant figure. I thought she would kill me.       some indicators of the present time, such as this morning, today, tonight (when the period of time mentioned is not over yet) e.g. I’ ve sent him an express letter this morning. (It’s still morning.)     some indicators of the present time, such as this morning, today, tonight (when the period of time mentioned is already over) e.g. I  sent him an express letter this morning. (It’s afternoon now.)       _____________________       indicators of the place of the action (e.g. in Germany) e.g. I ate turnips in Germany.       ______________________   indicators of the attending circumstances (e.g. for Lord Henry) e.g. They built that palace for Lord Henry.  

Table 8

Type of the action

past action, connected somehow with the present situation e.g. I’ ve lost the keys, I can’t get into the house now. past action, not connected with the present situation I l ost the keys yesterday, so I couldn’t get into the house until my husband came.

Types of questions

1) general questions with reference to the present e.g. Has anything new happened recently?   1) general questions with reference to the past I know she met him yesterday. Did she invite him to the party? 2)  special questions beginning with who, what, why,                   if the reference is made to the present e.g. Who has done it, I wonder? e.g. You look so frustrated. What has happened? e.g Why haven’ tyou gone either? Why are you still here? 2) special questions beginning with who, what why,                             if the reference is made to the past 1) Who taught you English last year? 2) Wha t happened in the Oxford street?                           3) Why did you leave then without saying good bye? ______________________ 3) special questions beginning with when, where, how  1) When did they actually arrive?                                  2) Where did they finally meet?                           3) How did it happen then?

Just/just now

 - just e.g. I have just told you I am really short of time.  - just now I told you just now, I am (was) really short of time.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Table 9