HLA 213/L5: Time, Tense & Aspect (meanings expressed by verb phrase)

Verbs differ in two ways: 1. Event – a happening of a single occurrence, with a definite beginning and end
(become, steal, comb, hit, etc.) 2. State – a state of affairs that continues over a period and does not need to
have a well-defined beginning and end. (be, remain, contain, know, learn)

 She became unconscious [event]

 She remained unconscious [state]

Thus three kinds of verb meaning can be illustrated here using past tense.

1. STATE I knew Susan and James

2. SINGLE EVENT I played football.

3. SET OF REPEATED EVENTS (Habit) Delma attended devotion faithfully every Sunday

A habit is a state consisting of a series of events. (Repetition) When specifying state meaning, add an
adverbial of duration and or an adverbial of frequency.

[Queen Elisabeth reigned for sixty years] [She did her homework every afternoon from her childhood]

A. Present Time

1. Present State (The simple present tense)

a) She is cute. b) Are you hungry? c) Does Mary like you? d)The sun rises in the east
and sets in the west.

2. Present Event (The simple present tense)

The use of present event is more specialized and is limited to formal declarations, sports,
commentaries, demonstrations etc.

a) I salute you for your effort. b) She deserves a round of applause.

3. Present Habit (The simple present tense)

a) We go to church every Sunday b) Martha goes shopping at 12:00 on Mondays. c) It rains

a lot in Lae.

4. Temporary Present (the present progressive) means limited duration

a) Oh no! It’s raining! b) Shh! The children are sleeping. c) I am drinking my coffee because
the weather is chilling. d) She is living with her mother at the moment.

5. Temporary Habit (The present progressive) combining the temporary meaning of progressive
with the repetitive meaning of the habitual present

a) I am cooking dinner often this year. b) She’s not working at the moment.

B. Past Time: I have read your book and I loved it!

Difference between past tense and perfect aspect:

 Past tense is used when the past happening is related to a definite time, in the past.

Example: He was in prison for ten years. (Now he is out)

Perfect aspect is used for a past happening which is seen in relation to a later event (present time)

Example: He has been in prison for ten years. (He’s probably still there)

B.1: PRESENT PERFECT TENSE: We have eaten the food.

a) Past events with results in the present time.

- The taxi has arrived. Her doll has been broken.

b) Indefinite event in a period leading up to the present time.

- Have you ever emailed your father? My children have had vaccination.

c) Habit in a period leading up to the present time.

- She has attended lectures regularly

B.2: THE PERFECT PROGRESSION: I have been ringing my father

Used to express the duration of an activity that is in progress; how long something has continued to
the present.

Example: Rita has been talking for 1 hour. I have been sleeping in your house.

Difference between present perfect and present perfect progressive:

Examples: I have read your book (I’ve finished it)

I’ve been reading your book (I am still reading it)

B.3: THE PAST PERFECT TENSE: I had rung my father.

Past perfect tense expresses an activity that occurred before another time in the past.

Examples: She was not hungry at 4:00pm. She had already eaten.

The house had been empty for several months.

The goal keeper had injured his leg, and couldn’t play.

 Perfect aspect with Infinitive and Participles: to have been, having eaten

Infinitives and participles have no tense, and so cannot express difference between past tense and
perfect tense. Instead the perfect expresses general past meaning.
 Examples: He seems to have missed the point of your joke.

Mary was proud of having achieved her dreams by studying hard.

 Perfect infinitive followed by a modal auxiliary: He may have gone yesterday.

1. Adverbials in relation to the past and present perfect.

Some adverbials go with the past and others with the present perfect.

Examples

 The past simple (point or period in a time which finished in the past)

- The fire started just after we finished our laundry

 The Present Perfect (Period leading up to the present)

- Since January, life has been very busy.

 Either the past simple tense or the present perfect

-[We have seen a lot of birds this morning.] [We saw a lot of horses this morning.] Both sentences
mean the same.

Progressive Aspect

Present perfect progressive tense is used to express the duration of an activity that is in progress; how long
something has continued to the present time. [has/have + been + ing]

- Rita has been talking to James for one hour. They have been singing this morning.

The present progressive tense expresses an activity that is in progress right now. [is/are/am +verb + ing]

- I am dancing. They are washing their clothes.

Other examples: I knew the person who was sewing wedding dresses last year.
I am happy to hear that your language assessment is getting better.

A) 1. Verbs often used with progressive are words that donate activities like; walk, drink, cook, talk, etc
[A beautiful young girl was creeping in the bushes last night.] OR verbs that involve processes such
as change, grow, widen, deepen, improve, etc. [ My baby is growing every day.]

B) Verbs of perceiving express continuing perception such as: feel, hear, see, smell, taste. We use verbs
with a can or could when using progressive.
-I can see someone through the window, but I can’t hear what they’re saying.

C) Verbs referring to a state of mind or feeling; believe, desire, detest, dislike doubt, hate, hope,
imagine, know, like, love, mean, prefer, remember

- I hope I haven’t kept you long. - I prefer tea to coffee.

-I doubt whether it is going to rain or not. - I can imagine you in your pink dress.
D) Verbs referring to a relationship or a state of being; be, belong to, concern, consist of, depend on,
deserve, fit, involve, matter, owe, own, posses, require etc. All these verbs are used without the
progressive.

-I owe you K300.00. She was concerned about you last night.
-Your success depends on your hard work. Your shirt fits you well.

These verbs can be used in progressive or non-progressive ways.

- My head aches. OR My head is aching.

Topic: Future Time

There are five uses for expressing future time.

A) Will/ Shall
- I will collect my assignment tomorrow.

-Wherever you go, you will find local people very friendly.
- They will give you a form if you ask politely.

B) Be going to
Be going to plus infinitive indicates the future as a fulfillment of the present.

-Mother said that she is going to cook the taro at five this afternoon.
-She says she is going to be a doctor when she grows up.

# It may also include the future resulting from other causative factors in the present.

-I think I’m going to faint. (I already feel ill) It’s going to rain.(I can see black clouds)

C) The Progressive Aspect is used for future events arising from a present plan, program or arrangement.
- We are inviting several people to our party.
- What are you going for lunch?

D) Simple present tense is used for the future with adverbial time clauses and conditional clauses.
- My husband will give you a lift if you come early.
- I’ll cook this afternoon before she comes home.

# Simple present can be used for future events which are seen as certain because they are
determined by calendar or timetable.

Tomorrow is Wednesday.
Actually, the march begins at three on Thursday.
My daughter resigns from her job next year.

E. Will/shall + progressive aspect

- Will you be coming by car?
- When will you be visiting us again?

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