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Question
Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
a. Explain the difference in the meaning of the following pairs of
sentences. You may like to use the given hints.
1. a. I have been a teacher for five years.
b. I was a teacher for five years.
(Hint: Is the speaker still a teacher?)
2. a. I always got good marks in English.
b. I have always got good marks in English.
(Hint: Is the speaker still studying?)
3. a. Geeta has never met her cousin.
b. Geeta never met her cousin.
(Hint: Is Geeta's cousin alive?)
4. a. I have never been to Timbuktu.
b. I never went to Timbuktu.
(Is the speaker talking about a particular journey or his travels so far?)
5. a. Jose has completed seven assignments today.
b. Jose completed seven assignments today.
(Hint: Is the day over? Has Jose more assignments to write?)
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Solution
1. (a) T has been a teacher for five years.
(b) Now he is not a teacher.
2. (a) T always got good marks in English.
(b) Now ‘I’ is not studying.
3. (a) Geeta never met her cousin in her life.
(b) Geeta’s cousin is not alive.
4. (a) T has never been to Timbuktu.
(b) T is talking about his travels so far to Timbuktu.
5. (a) Jose completed seven assignments today.
(b) Jose has completed seven assignments today. He still has more assignments to write.
Note :
(a) 1. Sentence (a) shows that the speaker is still a teacher, while sentence (b) shows that the speaker is no longer a teacher.
2. Sentence (a) shows that the speaker is not studying now, while sentence (b) shows that the speaker is still studying.
3. Sentence (a) shows that Geeta’s cousin is alive, while sentence (b) shows that her cousin is not alive.
4. In sentence (a) the speaker is talking about his travels in general, whereas in sentence (b) the speaker is talking about a particular travel.
5. In sentence (a) the day is not over and Jose has some more assignments to write, while in sentence (b) the day is over and Jose has no more assignments to write.
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__________________
__________________
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..................................................................................................................................................
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| 1. Example: Jim had migrated to the United States. | 1. I did not know it. The speaker came to know the fact later.) |
| 2. | 2. |
| 3. | 3. |
| 4. | 4. |
| 5. | 5. |
| 6. | 6. |
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A. ....................................................................
B ....................................................................
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...................................................................
...................................................................
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| 1. e.g. Something is expected to happen before a particular time in the future. (Sentence No 2) |
2.Statement of a universal truth or fact. ( ) |
|
3.Something is expected to ( ) |
4.Simple statement of future ( ) |
|
5.Sure to happen at a particular time in the future, as arrangements for it ( ) |
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| twinkling eyes | was oozing |
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. |
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