TENSE时态

TENSE REV. 2

1. SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE一般现在时

A. general statement, facts(that do not change), telling the truth
永恒真理


Water boils at 100 。C.
Hong Kong has wet summers.
There are twelve months in the year.



B.现时的情况， 人或物的一般特征，反复发生的动作，习惯性

He gets up at six.
I don’t smoke.

I always have a sandwich for lunch.


Adverbs副词 of frequency:(表示经常性的副词)

always, usually, generally, often, sometimes, occasionally, seldom/rarely, never, EVERYDAY.

When I was a child, I walked to school every morning. Now my family is much better off so I go to school by taxi every day. But if my father wins the lottery, I will go to school by car every day.

I just wear everyday clothes.
(adj.)


C. Opinion and consensus意见与一致同意

Smoking kills.
John has a bad haircut.
Bill's new novel is an exciting story.



在一定的情况下，表示现刻的动作,例如：

D. Demonstrations演示, descriptions描述 and explanations说明

The teacher said,” First, I take some eggs and then I add the milk.Now watch me. I ….”

He sits down. Suddenly the window opens and a masked man enters.

The ball hits the net and Bill's opponent scores another point.



E. Conventional wisdom in the form of proverbs智慧语，谚语

A friend in need is a friend in deed.


F. 讲书面材料内容

Shakespeare says, “ Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”


G.指引道路
“ You go straight on to the traffic lights, then you turn right.”



H. 图片说明

The Queen arrives for the opening of the university.


I.用在here and there之后

Here comes the bus！
There goes the bell.



J. Reference to what was communicated in the past
表示过去动作，有少数动词如say, tell, hear, learn…可以用一般现在时表示过去发生的情况，这是因为这类动词发生的时间在，说话人的脑中已很模糊，他想表达的是后面谈的情况。


He says he can’t wait any longer.
I received a letter from your cousin yesterday. He writes that he loves Italian food.
I saw the game last week. Bill plays great football.
I hear you want a secretary.
I forget the man’s name.



K.Simple conditional在时间或条件从句中，须用一般时表示将来动作

We’ll let you know as soon as you arrive.
In case I forget, please remind me about it.

If you work hard, you will pass the exam.
If I see Nancy I’ll ask her.


L. 某些从句中，可用一般时表示将来动作

I hope that you feel better soon.
Assuming it rains tomorrow, what shall we do？
Whatever happens, I’m going.


M.Order, request命令，要求

'Turn on the fan and then sit down.' the teacher said to John.
'Open the door ,please.'



N.Planned activities/future timetables在口语中，表示未来计划或时间表

The bus departs at 3 p.m. and reaches Kowloon Tong in the evening.
He leaves for London next week.
My flight leaves at 10:00.
The train leaves in five minutes’ time.
The plane takes off at 9.20 a.m.







2. THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
现在进行时

A. To tell others you are in the middle of doing something
正在进行或发生的动作

He is working right now此一刻, so can you call later?
What are you doing？
It is raining.

Used with the following adverbs of time:
now, at the moment, at this moment, at present, currently, for the time being


Non-progressive verbs:
有些动词一般不能/宜用于现在进行时，因它们表示状态/感觉，不能表示正在进行的动作：

例如：
love, hate, want respect, admire, like, dislike, value, desire, (verbs of emotion and feeling有关感觉之类的动词)

know, think, remember, understand, expect, can't forget , recall,see, realize, trust,perceive...(mental activity有关思念活动的动词)

look, hear, feel, ...(unintended or involuntary action不随意活动的动词)

watch, listen...(intended or voluntary action随意活动的动词)

belong, owe, own , borrow..(verbs of property)

seem, appear, look, taste, smells, sounds....(linking verbs)



不过有些这类动词用进行时是有别的意思的！

She looks tired. 表示状态
She is looking at a bird. 表示动作

The food smells nice. 表示感觉
He is smelling the flowers. 表示动作

The juice tastes good. 表示感觉
I’m tasting the wine. 表示动作

She has two sisters. 表示状态
She is having lunch. 在吃午饭---表示动作

I have a dog. (= own有)表示状态
We are having a walk.= we are walking. 表示动作






有些表示动作的动词有时反而表示状态，这时不宜用进行时
My house stands by the river.
The hut sits in the forest.
The town lies before us.
The coat dosen’t fit me.


He is standing on a chair.
They are sitting on the grass.
She is lying on the beach.
He is fitting the pieces together.


有些表示极短暂动作的动词也不宜于用进行时
declare
recognize
jump
nod
但有时用于进行时，则表示反复做某动作
He is jumping up and down.
The old man is nodding his head.





B. To denote a more temporary action or arrangement
---one main use of the continuous tense(present, past, future) is to tell that something is temporary. 表示一时的动作/安排


John is teaching us grammer and it is boring. (temporary)

比较以下一句
Bill teaches us English and he teaches very well. (permanent action) ( Bill 才是我们的英文老师)

Is Mr Bill very sick? He hasn't been around for quite some time. What happened to him? Mr Tak took over the Maths class, and he is teaching it well. He told us that he used to be a Maths major at the university.



Be 在一般情况下不能用于进行时，有时却可以这样用来表示一时的表现

Bob is being silly.
You’re being very clever today.
The children are being very quiet.
You’re being childish.
I am not being slow. I’m being careful.


C. ALWAYS + continuous tense
often used with adverbs such as always, repeatedly, continuously, forever to tell an often repeated action.表示经常性动作，表示厌烦或赞美等情绪


He’s always making that mistake. (不耐烦)
Social workers are always trying their best to help their clients.(赞赏)
He is constantly changing her mind.(不满)

如只说明事实，则用一般现在时

He does fine works at school. (只说明事实)
He is doing fine works at school. ( 赞赏)

How do you feel today？(只明事实)
How are you feeling today？(关切)

She often complains of his job. (只说明事实)
She is always complaining of his job.( 厌烦)



有些静态动词也可用现在进行时
I’m hoping you’ll all come.(表示殷切希望)
I’m always hearing strange stories about him.
I am forgetting that I promised to ring him tonight.


还有少数动词用两种时态意思也差不多
I wonder(am wondering ) whether you could give me some adv ice.
Does your leg hurt ( Is your leg hurting？)
I write (am writing ) to inform you that your mother is ill.
I don’t hear ( am not hearing) as well as I used to .
Now do you like ( are you liking) your new job？


特别用法

D. Definite future action (travel) /future arrangements

1. 用进行时表示将来动作，特别是在口语中，常有一个表示未来时间状语，多指计划安排好的事

John is leaving for Europe tomorrow morning.
I‘m inviting May to the party on Friday.
I’m not going out tonight. I’m staying at home.
When is Helen coming home？
They are getting married next month.


注意：
在以事物作主语时多用一般现在时表示安时间安排的活动

The train leaves at 9.30.
The fashion show starts at 7.
The programme begins at 10.

But
Tom is not coming to the party.

2. 用在时间和条件从句以表示未来

You can do some reading while you are waiting for the train. (时间从句)
You must visit John when you are travelling in China. (时间从句)
If she’s still waiting, tell her to go home. (条件从句)
Suppose it’s still raining tomorrow, shall we go？(条件从句)

3. be going to

He’s going to buy a new car.(打算做)

It is going to be hot tomorrow. (即将要发生的事)

E. 表示暂时情况
Her car has broken down. She is going to walk by bike.
I am not hearing very well these days.
My secretary is ill. May is filling in for her.

用于戏剧式的描绘中，表示过去的动作
I ‘m driving along a country road and I completely lost. Then I see this old fellow. He is leaning against a gate.








3.PAST TENSE一般过去时—表示一个过去发生的动作/存在的状态

A. Completed action and is used with a specific time expression
过去发生的动作---有时间表述如以下
last(week, Friday, night), yesterday (morning, afternoon), this(morning, afternoon), ago, in the war , during the first lesson, during recess, in the match
this morning , this afternoon

I knew her in 1990.
My uncle died last year.



B. Completed action without a past time expression
--if it is obvious from the context that the action takes place in the past. 过去发生的动作---没有时间表述，不过能从文意得知动作明显是已前发生之事。

I bought this ring in Japan. (now I am in Hong kong.)
I missed the last train. ( I am late.)
Edison was a great inventor.


C. 前一会儿发生的事
He came in just now.
She was here a minute ago.
Did the telephone ring？


D. Habitual action in the past过去习惯，现在没有此习惯

I came to Hong Kong when I was three. At first I lived on the main island but when I was studying in Form 3,....... I woke up at six in the morning every day.


E. The question when is often answered with the simple past tense.

When did you see the movie?
I saw it last night.



E. Used with FOR to show an action that occupies a period of time but will not be repeated in the future./was completed in the past.

Bill worked for the television station for two years.(he died in 1985.)
Jane studied at St. John Primary School for six years. (She will not study at primary school again.)


NB. If there is a past reference (another past tense verb), then we may use the past perfect.

Bill had worked for the television station for two years before he died.
Jane had studied at St. John Primary School for six years before she was promoted to Form 1.



F.After 'I wish/as if (unreal).......'

I wished he were present now.
He acted as if he could solve the problem.



G.After ' It's time/It's high time ( an action not completed yet)......'

It's time you did your work now. ( In fact you have not done your work.)


H. 叙述性文字(如小说，故事)
Laura was born in Bristol. Her parents came from Ireland. Laura’s father was an officer. He died in…..


不讲不知

在口语中，一般过去时可用来代替一般现在时，使口气显得更缓和，因而更客气：

I wondered (wonder) if you could do me a favour.
I wanted (want ) to ask if I could borrow your car.
I hoped(hope) you could (can) give me some advice.
Did (do) you want to see me？