内容正文:
Tense in English
When does it happen?
How does it happen?
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HCZ
FAQ
为什么since… 的主句用现在完成时?
为什么有的句子有since 又用过去完成时?
为什么in the past 30 years 要用现在完成时?
为什么 it is the first time 后面要接have/has done?
lived in Wuhan for 10 years和have lived in Wuhan for 10 years 到底有什么区别?
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Events are anchored in time
● When ? 什么时候发生的?
● “标记时间”是描述事件的首要任务
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How to mark event time
A dog chased a cat.
A dog is chasing a cat.
A dog chases a cat.
A dog will chase a cat.
English: 动词出场,时态相随
Chinese: has no grammaticalized tense
Time is marked on the verb.
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Tense in English
Tense: Event time in relation to Speech Time
Four types of tense
Past
Present
Future
Speech Time
Habitual
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Event Time in relation to Speech Time
: ET at ST A dog is chasing a cat.
: ET before ST A dog chased a cat.
: ET after ST A dog will chase a cat.
: ET not specified A dog chases a cat.
Present
Past
Future
Habitual
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Present tense and Habitual tense
I am speaking English. I speak English.
Present event
Habitual fact
Habitual tense : not specifically anchored in a time zone
The sun rises in the East.
I only eat two meals a day.
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Stative and Active verbs
State : know/ believe/have
Action: eat/ go / hit
Stative verb: know Active verb: write
Past He knew the answer. He wrote a novel.
present He knows the answer.
He is knowing the answer. (×)
—— no progressive He is writing the letter.
—— always in progressive
Habitual He (always) knows the answer. He (always ) writes novels.
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Stative verbs and tense
States do not progress, can not be on-going
No action is involved.
I am knowing the answer. (×)
She is believing in God. (×)
John is understanding your point . (×)
1) I am getting the answer. (√)
2) I am trusting God. (√)
3) I am trying to understand your point. (√)
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Active verbs and tense
Physical activity
I am studying English.
He was building a house.
Mental activity
I am thinking about her.
I am dreaming about my future.
When an activity takes place at the ST, it must take progressive tense.
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Tense and Aspects
Tense (时间点) Aspects (观点)
Event Time in relation to Speech Time ( 发生时间) A perspective
(发生样貌)
Three different ways of describing the same event:
A dog chased a cat.
A dog was chasing a cat.
A dog has chased a cat.
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Three different aspects
The perspective in describing an event
Simple aspect
— an independent event viewed as a whole
2) Progressive aspect
— Be + v-ing : on-going
3) Perfect aspect
— have/has + pp : an event completed by a reference point
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Simple aspect
As a whole
Starting
point
On-going
Ending
point
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Progressive aspect
On-going events
in the middle of an event
Co-occurring with another event (同时进行,并非独立)
A zoom-in perspective (放大且聚焦)
On-going
Starting
point
Ending
point
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Simple vs. progressive aspect
A: What did you do at 7 pm last night?
B: I ate dinner at 7 pm last night.
—— a simple, wholistic event.
I was eating dinner at 7 pm.
—— on – going ; zoom – in
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Simple vs. progressive aspect
Compare:
When I came in, all students smiled at me.
—— an event as a whole viewed in distance
When I came in, all students were smiling at me.
—— an on-going event in the middle of happening
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To- V vs. V-ing
有些动词可以接v-ing , 也可以接to-v
She continued singing for 3 hours.
She continued to sing after lunch.
He went on singing.
He went on to sing.
To v : project a goal or future action
V-ing: describe an on-going event
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Perfect aspect
What happened ( in the past) ?
What have happened (by now) ?
An event is completed by a reference point.
I have taught English for ten years. ( by now)
(event) ( reference point)
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Features of perfect aspect
Ahead of the reference point ( 之前)
Events are completed. (完成)
A: Why aren’t you listening carefully?
B: I have already mastered the grammar.
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Features of perfect aspect
3) Shift of the time order (描述事件顺序≠ 事件发生顺序)
e.g. He met his wife, and then found a job.
He found a job in June. He had met his wife (before that).
4) Relevance — Associate one event with another. (关联性)
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Time frame of Perfect aspect
An event is completed by a reference point.
Since
For a duration
by
Event
Reference
Point
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Types of perfect aspect
Present
Past
Future
homework
dinner
TV
go to bed
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Present perfect aspect
Present
Past
homework
dinner
● speech time as reference point
● completed by the present time point.
e.g. I have eaten dinner ( by now).
Reference
Point
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Past perfect aspect
Present
Past
homework
dinner
● a past event as reference point
● completed by the past time point.
e.g. I had done my homework before I ate dinner.
Reference
Point
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Future perfect aspect
Present
Future
TV
go to bed
● a future event as reference point
● completed by the future time point.
Reference
Point
e.g. I will have watched TV before I go to bed.
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Perfect aspect and past tense
Q: 完成式描述“过去”做的事情,为何是“现在完成”?
I did my homework last night.
I have done my homework .
—— done in the past, why present perfect?
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“FOR” and “SINCE” in perfect aspect
I had lived in Shanghai for 3 years before 2013/ I moved to Wuhan.
I had lived in Shanghai for 3 years since 2010 until I moved to Wuhan.
I have been living in Wuhan for 9 years.
2010
2013
2022 Now
Shanghai
Wuhan
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Perfect progressive 完成进行式
1) I have been living in Wuhan for 9 years.
2) I have been searching for my true love.
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Way back into love
I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on
I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need them again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
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FAQ
为什么since… 的主句用现在完成时?
为什么有的句子有since 又用过去完成时?
为什么in the past 30 years 要用现在完成时?
为什么 it is the first time 后面要接have/has done?
lived in Shanghai for 10 years和have lived in Wuhan for 10 years 到底有什么区别?
…
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