Download L1 Grammar: Unit 1, present time

L1 Grammar:
Unit 1, present time
Please read Destination B2 pp 6-7 carefully
Present simple
Form: do not forget the 3rd person singular S!
Use:
•
•
•
•
•
Current habits: Toby walks to work.
To talk about how often things happen: Angela doesn’t visit us very often.
Permanent situations: Carlo works in a travel agent’s.
States: Do you have a up-to-date passport?
General truths and facts: Poland is in the European Union.
Note: do/does is used for negative forms and questions, and also for
emphasis: The bus isn’t quicker than the train but it does stop right
outside the factory.
Present continuous
Form: be + V-ing
Use:
• Actions happening now: Mike is driving to work at the moment.
• Temporary series of actions: Taxi drivers aren’t stopping at the train station
because of the roadworks.
• Temporary situations: Are they staying in a hotel near the Olympic stadium?
• Changing and developing situations: Holidays abroad are becoming
increasingly popular.
• Annoying habits (usually with always): Dad is always cleaning the car when I
want to use it!
Additional info about V-s and be + V-ing
(not from your book: make a note of this)
Simple form:
used to express a global point of view on a present event. The event is
considered in its totality rather than seen at a certain point in its unfolding, in
its progress. ‘… en bloc, et non en un point de [sa] durée dans le temps …’
(Lareya et Rivière)
If an event or a series of events is happening now, but considered globally =>
simple form. Ex: demonstrating a recipe (or commenting on a football match,
etc): succession of actions, each seen as entirely accomplished, ‘en bloc’: Now I
crack an egg, I mix it into the flour …
Continuous form:
BE: indicates that there is a link between the subject and the event referred to by
the verb; the utterer (= the person who is speaking or writing) emphasizes the
subject’s participation in the event
-ING: indicates that the utterer is placing himself or herself inside the event; the
event is seen as unfinished; the event is placed in a specific situation rather than
seen as a generality
>> BE + V-ing: the utterer has a point of view on the event and/or the utterer is
saying something about the subject
Dad is always cleaning the car when I want to use it!
The utterer is complaining about his/her father (= the subject) and has a
particular point of view on the event (exaggeration, annoyed tone …)
Compare with: Dad always cleans his car on a Sunday. = a neutral piece
of information, emphasis on always or Sunday rather than on Dad.
Present perfect simple
Form: have/has + V-en (= past participle)
Use:
• Situations and states that started in the past and are still true: She’s had her
motorbike for over six years. (en français: présent)
• A series of actions continuing up to now: We’ve travelled by taxi, bus, plane and
train – all in the last twenty-four hours! (en français: passé composé)
• Completed actions at a time in the past which is not mentioned: Have you ever
flown in a helicopter?
• Completed actions where the important thing is the present result: I’ve booked
the coach tickets.
• Phrases such as it’s the first/second/etc time … are followed by the present
perfect simple: It’s the second time I’ve been on a plane. (en français: présent)
US vs British English:
Speakers of American English often use the past simple in situations where speakers
of British English would use the present perfect simple:
US: We already saw the Sphinx.
I just did it.
UK: We’ve already seen the Sphinx.
I’ve just done it.
Speakers of American English use ‘gotten’ as the past participle of the verb ‘get,’
except when ‘get’ means ‘have’ or ‘possess’. Speakers of British English only ever use
‘got’.
US: We’ve already gotten Dan a new backpack for his summer vacation.
UK: We’ve already got Dan a new rucksack for his summer holiday.
Note: In the context of this class you will be required to stick to the UK usage. There
are some US speakers who follow the same ‘rules’ as Britons, so you will never be in
trouble for doing so, even if you use US vocab and have an American accent.
If you insist on using US grammar in spite of our advice, during tests you MUST
indicate your choice clearly every time there is a UK/US difference.
Present perfect continuous
Form: have/has + been + V-ing
Use:
• Actions continuing up to the present moment: We have been driving for
hours. Can’t we have a break soon?
• Actions stopping just before the present moment: I’m out of breath because
I’ve been running to get here in time.
Note:
The present perfect continuous is often used with words and phrases like all
day/week/year/etc, for, since, just, etc: We’ve been walking for hours and I
need a rest.
The present perfect continuous is not nomally used with the words ever and
never : Have you ever flown in a helicopter before?
Sometimes there is very little difference in meaning between the present
perfect simple and the present perfect continuous and sometimes there is a
difference in meaning:
I have worked at the airport for four years. = I have been working at the airport
for four years.
I have read that book about cruise ships. (I have finished it) I have been reading
that book about cruise ships. (I have not finished it.)
Have/has + v-en vs
your book:
have/has been + v-ing: extra examples, not in
a. Ann’s clothes are covered in paint. She has been painting the ceiling.
b. The ceiling was white, now it is blue. She has painted the ceiling.
a. The car is OK now. I’ve repaired it.
b. My hands are very dirty. I’ve been repairing the car.
a. Somebody has smoked my cigarettes .The packet is empty.
b. She’s been smoking too much recently. She should smoke less.
c. Someone has been smoking my cigarettes!
a. What have you done now? or What have you done today?
b. What have you been doing?
a. I’m exhausted, I’ve been typing letters all morning.
b. I’ve already typed ten letters.
a. How many pages of that book have you read?
b. How long have you been reading that book?
c. You’ve been reading too many sentimental novels.
Goldilocks:
Who’s been eating my porridge? Who’s been sleeping in my bed?
a. Now that you’ve drunk your beer, we can go.
b. You’ve been drinking beer again!
Stative verbs
Stative verbs are not normally used in continuous tenses because they
don’t describe actions: I see what you mean. I’m seeing what you
mean.
Stative verbs often refer to:
• Thinking: believe, imagine, know, mean, think, understand, etc
• Existence: be, exist, etc
• Emotions: hate, like, love, need, prefer, satisfy, want, etc
• The human senses: hear, see, smell, sound, taste, etc (=involuntary
perception)
• Appearance: appear, look, resemble, seem, etc
• Possession and relationships between things: belong to, consist of,
have, include, involve, own, etc
Watch out: some verbs (such as be, have, imagine, look, see, smell,
taste, think) are stative with one meaning and non-stative with another
meaning.
Do you have your plane ticket with you? (state: possession)
Are you having lunch at the moment? (action: eating)
Examples of stative verbs with Be + V-ing
not in your book
Jane resembles her mother.
She’s resembling her mother more and more.
How are you liking the party?
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
‘How do you like that chocolate cake?’
‘I’m loving it!’
‘What’s that funny sound?’
‘What funny sound? You’re always hearing funny sounds!’
I’m seeing things!
What are you wanting now?
She’s always knowing something she isn’t supposed to.
I was wanting to leave.
Compare:
Do you get a lot of snow? / Are you getting …?
What do you weigh? / What are you weighing?
I come from Canada. / I’m coming from Canada.
So I suppose you don’t eat bacon. / So I suppose you’re not eating bacon.
I’m not eating that, it’s horrible! or You’re not eating it, it’s mine!