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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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RELATED QUESTIONS
Verbs that are normally NOT used in the progressive form.
1. Which sentence in each of the following pairs is acceptable and
why?
1. a. I am respecting you.
b. I respect you.
2. a. My son loves to draw and paint.
b. My son is loving to draw and paint.
3. a. We are having two cars.
b. We have two cars.
4. a. I am thinking you are new to this place.
b. I think you are new to this place.
5. a. The cake smells good.
b. The cake is smelling good.
| Verbs referring to mental states (eg. know, think, believe etc) and to the use of the senses (eg. smell, taste etc) are never, or hardly ever, used in progressive forms. Some of these verbs are: believe prefer know suppose feel sound (dis)like love realise understand hear taste see hate recognise want see belong doubt imagme remember wish smell agree possess own owe involve include depend |
Can you explain the difference between?
1. a. l justcan'timaginehowyougotintosuchamess.
b. You're imagining things nothing will happen.
2. a. The coffee tastes bitter
b. Mother is tasting coffee to check ifit is too bitter.
3. a. My teacher admires my art work
b. She is admiring the latest painting I have made.
4. a. The doctor is feeling the patient's pulse.
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Present Perfect vs. Simple Past
b. What conclusion can you draw from these sentences about the use of present perfect and simple past forms of verbs?
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Working with the same partner, use the information given below and
discuss the reasons for choosing a particular verb form in F .1. Then match
the information in the bubbles below with the sentences, and put the
sentence number in the space provided, as shown in the example.
| 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 ( ) |
6.Statement of a planned event expected. ( } |
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 |
The Dauphin will give me all I need.
(Rewrite the sentence using the present perfect tense)
Read this sentence.
M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles.
In the sentence above, the verb form “had said” in the first part is used to indicate an “earlier past.” The whole story is narrated in the past. M. Hamel’s “saying” happened earlier than the events in this story. This form of the verb is called the past perfect.
Pick out five sentences from the story with this form of verb and say why this form has been used.
Use the correct tense form of the verb given in the bracket and rewrite the sentence.
She ________ that old fashion book of her mother a few months back.
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.
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 shall be telling you three stories.
Observe the following underlined phrases. Here ‘have/has’ are followed by the past participle form of the verb. This construction indicates the present perfect tense. Find more such sentences from the text.
- We have made progress in the last couple of decades.
- We have prevented millions of child deaths.
- It has happened.
Find out the ‘ing’ forms from the story of 'An Encounter of a Special Kind' and classify them into the following table.
| Present Participle used as an Adjective | Present Participle used as a Verb in the Continuous Tense |
| twinkling eyes | was oozing |
| 1. | 1. |
| 2. | 2. |
| 3. | 3. |
| 4. | 4. |
| 5. | 5. |
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.
Preeti even wrote about it.
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.
He leaned out eagerly.
Form two present participle in which the last letter is doubled.
Rewrite the sentences in present perfect tense:
I had been working for Anil for almost a month.
Rewrite the sentence in future tense:
I am doing it.
