Transcript NOUN CLAUSES

Continuous Tenses
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Do not simply show the time of an
event, but how the speakers see the
event – as ongoing and temporary
rather than completed or permanent.
So, the continuous tenses deal with
repeated habits, and actions which
produce their results later; and thus
often serve to focus on the action
itself, and its duration.
PRESENT PERFECT
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I have (I’ve) worked, you have
(you‘ve) worked etc.
Have I worked? Have you worked?
etc
I have not (haven’t) worked, you
have not (haven’t) worked etc.
PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE)
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I have (I’ve) been working, you have
(you’ve) been working etc.
Have I been working? Have you been
working? etc
I have not (haven’t) been working,
you have not (haven’t) been working
etc
PRESENT PERFECT 1
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For talking about a finished
action/event which is still connected
to the present:
Information technology has changed the world.
I’ve broken my leg.
I’ve lost my keys.
PRESENT PERFECT 2
• For announcing news:
Our telephone number has changed.
• With time adverbs:
He’s been President for four years.
(Since, always. ever, yet, never, already etc)
PRESENT PERFECT 3
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For talking about life
experiences:
He’s had a lot of jobs. He’s been a
miner, he’s worked in television and
he’s been a factory hand.
PRESENT PERFECT 4
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After “This is the first/second etc
time”
“This is only the second time this has
happened.”
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To talk about a completed event
in the future:
“I can’t make a decision until I’ve received all
the data”
“I’ll phone you when I’ve heard from her”
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS -1
•
Talking about continuous activities
“Exports
have been growing steadily over the past
six months. Foreign earnings have been moving
ahead to record levels.”
Compare:
“I've been reading your proposals.” “I've read your proposal. “
“She's been checking the calculations.” “She's checked the
calculations.”
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS 2
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For talking about the effect of a
recent event:
“Why are your hands so dirty?” “I've been trying to
repair my car all afternoon.”
“You look tired!” “I am. I've been working on the report
all day.”
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS 3
For talking about repeated actions
Compare:
“Have you seen my wife?” (I'm looking for her)
“Have you been seeing my wife?” (I suspect
you're both having an affair)
:
But
“I've been playing a lot of golf recently.”
“I've played golf twice this week. “
PAST PERFECT
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I had worked; You had worked etc
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Had I worked? Had you worked?
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I had not worked; You had not worked
PAST PERFECT
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To talk about the ‘earlier past’,
something ‘completed in the past’
Used when we want to go back when
we are already talking about the
past.
Used when we want to say that
something had already happened at
the time we are talking about
PAST PERFECT
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Time conjunctions:
1. After he (had) finished the exams, he went to
Paris for a month. (Not really necessary)
2. When I had opened the windows, I sat down
and had a cup of tea. (Separate, independent
actions)
3. BUT When I opened the windows, the cat
jumped out.
PAST PERFECT
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Unrealised hopes and wishes:
• I had hoped we would be able to leave today
• She had intended to make a cake, but ran out
of time.
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Third conditional:
• If I had gone to university, I would have
studied medicine.
•
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
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I had been working
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Had he been working?
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I had not been working.
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
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Used to talk about longer actions
continuing up to the past moment we
are thinking about.
• At that time, we had been living in a caravan
for about six months.
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Or to talk about situations in the
same way
• When I found Mary I could see that she had
been crying.
FUTURE PERFECT 1
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I’ll have done it, you’ll have done it
etc
I’ll have been doing it, you’ll have
been doing it etc
FUTURE PERFECT 2
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“By next Christmas we’ll have been
here for eight years.”
“The builders say they’ll have
finished by next Friday.”
FUTURE PERFECT 3
(Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes the period
of time)
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“In August next year I will have been
working here for twenty years.”
FUTURE PERFECT 4
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“It’s no good asking him. He will
have forgotten by now.”
“It’s five o’clock. I’m pretty sure that
the manager will have gone home.”
PERFECT ASPECT
Compare:
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Present perfect:
“They have been working here for twenty years”
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Future perfect:
“Next year they will have been here for twenty one
years”
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Past perfect:
“In 1998 they had been working here for ten years”