Advertisements
Advertisements
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?)
Advertisements
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.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Let us begin by studying the relationship between the different verb forms and the time they denote.
Work individually
Indicate the tense and time of each of the highlighted verbs in the table below.
The first has been done as an example.
| Sentence | Tense | Time | |
| 1. | We are planning to go out for a picnic tomorrow. | Present | Future |
| 2. | India has made tremendous progress in the past few decades. |
||
| 3. | It has been raining since morning. | ||
| 4. | Could you please send your e-mail address as soon as possible? |
||
| 5. | The train must have reached Delhi by now. |
||
| 6. | It always rains in July here. | ||
| 7. | Cold wave intensifies further. (A news headline) |
||
| 8. | He was playing here a minute ago. | ||
| 9. | She won the Student of the Year award last year. |
||
| 10. | All incomplete forms will be rejected. |
Now compare your answers with those of your partner and discuss the
following questions and write your observations in the given space.
a. Is the time referred to in the sentences always the same as the tense of
the verb? What conclusion can you draw from your observation? Write
your observation below.
...............................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
b. How have you found the tense of the verbs in the sentences above? Are
there any indicators or markers that reveal the tense of the verb? Write
your observation below.
...............................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
c. Did you find any verb form that could be called 'future form'? (You will
learn more about the different ways of talking about future later in this
unit.)
...............................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
d. Why do you think verb forms are often labelled as 'simple' or 'indefinite', 'progressive' or 'continuous', 'perfect' and 'perfect continuous'?
...............................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
Look at the incomplete sentences below. Using the information provided, complete each sentence using a suitable tense. Follow the examples:
1947 until now India I has been (be) independent since 1947.
1947 India became (become) independent in 1947.
1. 1947 until now l There --------- (be) manywars.
2. 1991 There ------- (be) a war in the Persian Gulf.
3. 1953 -------- Edmund Hilary and Tensing first (climb) Everest.
4. 1953 until now Many people ________ (climb)Everest.
5. 1983 India --------- (win) the Prudential Cricket World Cup in England.
6. 1983 until now India -------- (win) many limited-overs cricket trophies.
Here is a letter Nikita wrote to her friend Susie who lives in Milan, Italy. What verb forms has she used in this letter? Bas she used a mix of verb forms? Is there any particular form that has been used more frequently?
Dear Susie
It's a beautiful Sunday morning. Rakesh is busy with some office work and the kids are playing in the park outside and I've time enough to write a quick letter to you.
So, how are you doing? How's your new novel coming along? I hear you're learning Bharatnatyam these days. Couldn't believe it when Sharon told me about it. Bhartnatyam in Milani Never knew there is an Indian Dance school in Italy. Interesting! By the way, who are you taking dance lessons from? I mean, who is your Guru? And why are you learning Bharatnatyam? Must you do everything that I do?
What happened to your plan to visit us this winter? Well, winter is round the corner. When are you coming? How long do you plan to stay? What places would you like to visit? Do let me know, will you? I'll make your itinerruy accordingly. Remember, this time when you come, you are not staying at any hotel as you did last time. You will stay with us. I have a room spare for you to stay as long as you wish. OK? As for the weather, I've already told you, winter is setting in. It's beginning to get cold, especially in the mornings and the evenings. The temperature is falling with each passing day and it's just the right kind of weather for some travel and adventure. Delhi is at its best in the early winter and it is waiting to welcome you with open arms. And how's your mom's health now? Is she keeping well? Is she getting physiotherapy done regularly? I continue to pray for her speedy recovery. I think I got to go now. The kids seem to have had a fight. I can hear the youngerone crying. These boys are giving me a difficult time! Catchyoulater. Bye
Yours
Nikita
Complete the following sentences correctly by using the simple past or
past perfect forms of the given verbs.
1) We ____ already (reach) home when Irlan __ (say) that he (forget) his books at school.
2) Wendy (wake up) late, then she ____ (miss) her school bus, so by the time she (reach) school, it already (start).
3) I ___ (visit) my town again ten years after I _____ (leave) it and ___ (find) thatit completely (change).
4) When Feroze and Mehr (meet) for the first time, they ___ _ (not like) each other but now they are married.
Work with apartner
In the following sentences, choose and circle the verb form you think best fits the meaning of each sentence. You have been provided an example.
| 1. Tomorrow | is will be is going to be | Wednesday. |
| 2. The train | has left will have left is going to leave | by the time you reach the station. |
| 3. Hurry! The film | does will is about to | start. |
| 4. The Minister | opens is opening is about to open | the new Art Centrenext week. |
| 5. This time next year, he | will live is living will be living | in Mumbai. |
| 6. I | am going to be will be will have been | a nurse when I grow up |
Use the correct tense form of the verb given in the bracket and rewrite the sentence.
She ________ at her left shoulder for quite some time.
Use the correct tense form of the verb given in the bracket and rewrite the sentence.
One human should _______ this for another always.
Name the Tense of the Verb underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous).
I slept on the floor.
Name the Tense of the Verb underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous).
It had made all the difference.
Name the Tense of the Verb underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous).
I am fine, now.
Name the Tense of the Verb underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous).
I shall be telling you three stories.
Change the Tense as instructed.
I started the company. (Present Continuous)
Spot the error and correct the following sentences.
- My grandparents laid down for an afternoon nap.
- A stranger were knocking at our door.
- My sister and I shares a study room.
- One of my friend, is leaving school.
- A flock of birds were flying overhead.
Rewrite the sentence as per the instruction given along with it.
The mother langur looked straight into my eyes.
(Rewrite the sentence in the Simple Present Tense)
Underline the verb and choose the correct option from the options.
Today Sanjay found a new book.
Read the following sentence carefully, underline the verb and find out the tense in the sentence.
Still they took no notice of him.
Observe the following underlined phrases. Here ‘have /has’ are followed by the past participle form of the verb. This construction indicates the perfect present tense. Find more such sentences from the speech.
- We have made progress in the last couple of decades.
- We have prevented millions of child deaths.
- It has happened.
- ________________________
- ________________________
- ________________________
