For example: 1.
I visited my grandmother yesterday
2.
She went with him
. last night
3.
My father was sick
. two days ago
.
Verb that usually occur in the past tense : Exclaim, eye, glance, grin, nod, pause, remark, reply, shrug, sigh, smile,
whisper, bend, bow, lean, light, park, seat, set off, shake, stare, turn away, wave,
and wrap.
2.3.2 Aspect
Douglas 2004:156 says, aspect adds time meanings to those expressed by tense. Aspect answer the question” is the eventstate described by the verb
completed, or is it continuing” ? Aspect is to do with whether an action of state is complete or ongoing, recent or less
recent and the length of duration. There are two aspects in English: perfect and progressive sometimes known as
continuous .
1. The perfect aspect
The perfect aspect most often describes events or states taking place during a preceding period of time.
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a. Perfect aspect, present time Present Perfect
Present perfect verbs often refer to past actions with effects that continue up to present time.
Use the following rule to form the present perfect :
The present perfect is used to indicate : a. To show an action has been finished in the short time. It usually uses the adverb as
follows: - Already, just,
- recently, yet, since
For example: We have just read the book.
b. To show an action which has been done but that action is still has a connection with now.
For example: He has taught English since 2001
c. An action that happened more than once in the past.
For example: George has seen this movie three times.
Verbs that are common in the present perfect :
Hashave been Subject + havehas+ Verb IIIbeen + OC
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Ex : Rowlands has been critical of Welsh officials.
Hashave got and hashave had
Ex : - Jones has got the letter.
- I have got a problem actually.
Other verbs that are common in present perfect are some of the most common
verbs overall ex : gone, done, mad, seen, come, said, taken, become, given, shown, thought, called
.
Ex : - He`s gone home.
-
Experiments have shown that nitrogen deficiency tends to
strengthen the lower nodes.
b. Perfect aspect , past time Past Perfect
Past perfect verbs refer to actions in the past that are completed at or before a given time in the past. The actual time is often specified.
The rule to form past perfect :
Adverbs which show the time used in this time form are: - Already, before, after,
- until, as soon as. Subject + had + Verb III been +OC
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For example : 1.
He had gone with them.
2.
She had taken it herself.
Verbs that are common in the past perfect : Like the simple past tense, past perfect verb phrases are especially common in
fiction. They are used especially for reference to an earlier period in the middle of a past tense narrative :
He hadn`t even been jealous of her dead husband. Nancy had gone with them.
He had taken it himself.
The most common verbs with the past perfect are some of the most common verbs overall. These are mostly verbs that describe physical movements and other activities
gone, come, left, given, got, ect., speech acts said, told, and mental perceptions or thoughts see, heard, known.
2. Progressive aspect
Progressive aspect describes an event or state of affairs in the progress or continuing. It also describes activities or events in a progress at a particular time,
usually for a limited amount of time. The following list identify the verbs most strongly associated with progressive
aspect and the verbs that almost never occur with progressive aspect.
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• Verbs that most strongly associated with progressive aspect : Activityphysical verbs : bleed ,chase, shop, starve, dance, drip, head for,
march, pound, rain, stream, sweat Communication verbs : chat, joke, kid, moan, scream, talk
Mental attitude verbs : look forward, study • Verbs that almost never occur with progressive aspect :
Activityphysical verbs : arrest, dissolve, find, invent, rule, shut, shrug, smash, throw
Communication verbs : accuse, communicate, disclose,exclaim, reply, thank Mental attitude verbs : agree, appreciate, believe, conclude, desire,
know,want, like Perceptual states activities : detect, hear perceive, see
Facilitationcausation verbs : convince, guarantee, initiate, oblige, provoke
a. Progressive aspect, present tense Present Continuous
Present progressive is in the progress at the present time, and probably continue. The rule is :
Adverbs which show the time used in this time form are: Right now, at this momentthis time, at present
The functions are: a. To state the event or action in progress
Subject + am, is, are + V-ing+ OC
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For examples:
1. They are playing kites now. 2. My father is sleeping right now.
b. To state the event or action in mean time
For example : My father is buying a car but he will sell soon.
c. To state the event or action in the future
For example: My mother and my sister are going to Bali tonight.
b. Progressive aspect, past tense Past Continuous
Past progressive is in progress at particular time in the past. It probably continued. It is also used to denote an action going on at some time in the past. It also used, with
always , continually etc., for persistent habits in the past. He was always
The rule : grumbling
Adverbs which show the time used in this time form are: When and while For examples :
1. He was sleeping when 2. That is why I was thinking I might hang onto the Volvo.
I arrived. Subject+waswere+Verb-ing+OC
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3. The perfect progressive
Verb phrases can be marked for both aspects perfect and progressive at the same time.
a Present perfect progressive Present Perfect Continuous
For an action that began in the past and is still occurring in the present. The rule:
Adverbs which show the time used in this time form are: for and since
1. I have been waiting here for 10 years. 2. I have been studying for two hours.
b. Past perfect progressive Past Perfect Continuous
The past perfect continuous is used for an action that began for a certain point in the past and continued up to that time.
The rule :
1. I had been studying for two hours before my friends came 2. I had been waiting for you for four hours before you came
Subject+HaveHas+been+V-ing+OC
Subject+had+been+ V-ing+OC
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2.3.3 Voice
