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Listening
Talking about Verbs 1
Now that you're studying English at a high level, you need to be able to talk about the language itself.
One of the biggest areas of confusion for students is the difference between the past tense and the present perfect.
The past tense is indicated by use of the past tense marker, represented here by V sub d. [ V(d) ]
Here are some examples of regular verbs and their past tense forms:
| V | V(d) |
|---|---|
| walk | walked |
| wait | waited |
| arrive | arrived |
| open | opened |
| close | closed |
So, as you can see, for regular verbs, the past tense form is indicated by the addition of an -ed at the end of the verb.
However, some of the most common verbs in English are irregular, so it is important to learn them.
Here are some examples：
| V | V(d) |
|---|---|
| eat | ate |
| drink | drank |
| get | got |
| take | took |
| come | came |
| be | was/were |
Altogether there are over 200 irregular verbs in normal use.
Q: Which of these verbs is irregular?
C: break | replace | create | innovate
Q: Which of these verbs is regular?
C: invest | build | bring | win
Many people think that the past tense form only indicates past time.
However, that is only one of the possible meanings.
The past tense form is also used to express something that is unlikely or imaginary, from the speakers' point of view.
Here is an example: "He wishes he had a car."
The fact is that he doesn't have a car, so the use of "had" indicates that it isn't real: it's imaginary.
"If he had a car, he could drive us to school."
Again, "He doesn't have a car, so he can't drive us to school."
This condition expresses something that isn't a fact.
It's a counter-factual condition, which means it goes against what we know or believe.
Q: Which condition is counter-factual or imaginary?
A: If the Earth were square instead of round...(things would be different)
Many people think that the past tense form only indicates past time. However, that is only one of the possible meanings. The past tense form is also used to express something that is unlikely or imaginary, from the speaker's point of view. Here is an example: "He wishes he had a car." The fact is that he doesn't have a car, so the use of "had" indicates that it isn't real: it's imaginary.
Look at these two sentences:
1. If she waits another week, she can save money...
2. If she waited another week, she could save money because there's going to be a sale.
Both sentences are correct, but there is a difference in meaning.
In the top sentence, the condition that she waits is more likely from the speaker's point of view.
In the bottom sentence, the speaker thinks it's less likely that she's going to wait.
# There is going to be a sale next week, so I hope she doesn't go shopping tomorrow.
# If that flight leaves on time, we're going to miss it, so let's run.
# I wish we didn't have to run, but if we don't hurry, we'll miss the next bus.
# If that flight left an hour later, we wouldn't have to get to the airport so early tomorrow morning.
Look at these two sentences. If she waits another week, she can save money... If she waited for another week, she could save money because there's going to be a sale. Both sentences are correct, but there is a difference in meaning.
Talking about Verbs 2
When we talk about experience or results, we use the present perfect form.
This form uses "have" followed with the participle.
For regular verbs, this participle is identical to the past tense form.
| V | V(d) | V(n) |
|---|---|---|
| walk | walked | walked |
| wait | waited | waited |
| arrive | arrived | arrived |
| open | opened | opened |
| close | closed | closed |
For irregular verbs, this participle is often different.
| V | V(d) | V(n) |
|---|---|---|
| eat | ate | eaten |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| get | got | got |
| take | took | taken |
| come | came | come |
| be | was/were | been |
When we use the perfect form the primary focus is on the subject of the sentence, not the verb.
It emphasises the condition, experience or results rather than actions or events.
In these two examples, we see the contrast:
1. She has already left the hotel.
2. She left the hotel a few minutes ago.
The top sentence gives the condition or state of the subject and the bottom sentence expresses an event.
The top sentence describes the condition of the subject of the sentence, SHE, rather than the event.
The fact that she has left the hotel is now part of her experience or state of being.
The bottom sentence expresses the action or event, "she left", which is something she did.
In general, the past tense form expresses an event or acts, and the perfect form expresses experience or conditions.
When we use the perfect form of the verb, we focus on the state of the subject and not an action or event.
Q: Which sentence expresses a state of being?
A: The express train has already left. (past perfect)
Q: Which sentence expresses an event rather than a state or process.
A: He took a break. (past)
He enjoyed his studies and graduated a few months ago. Now that he has graduated, he's ready to get a job.
Note that the past form expresses events at specific points or period of time, such as last year or the past five years.
These events are distanced from the speakers' point of view.
1. He worked at several companies. (in the past)
2. He finished the project last week. (in the past, last week)
The perfect form expresses the state of something from the speaker's point of view, not distanced in time.
1. He has worked at several companies. (his experience now)
2. He has finished the project. (his experience now)
These two sentences are incorrect and confusing because they give two different points of view:
1. He was worked at that company until last week. (incorrect)
2. He has finished the project last week. (incorrect and confusing)
Q: Which sentence is strange?
A: He has eaten lunch an hour ago.
(It gives two different points of view.)
Here are some sentences that use the perfect form:
1. He has finished practising.
2. He has been practising.
3. She may have eaten.
4. Her computer may have been stolen.
Some are simple, such as the first one, and some are complex, like the last one.
The last one is complex because it combines may verb forms, including the
passive.
Q: He has practised hard...
A: ...so he should do well in the competition.
# He may have been injured in the explosion.
# He has practised hard, so he should do well in the competition.
# He may have taken his computer with him, but I'm not sure if he did or not.
