Search results for 'tag:Present tenses tag:Present progressive' matching tags 'Present tenses' and 'Present progressive'

Re: Teaching Workplace English - PPP (present-practice-production) & TBL (Task-Based Learning)

samwalker — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:17:29 GMT

Time Allotment Week 1

Â	A	B	C	D	F	G
1	Day 1			In Minutes	Â	Â
2	House Rules			15	Â	Â
3	Language is a Lifestyle			15	Â	Â
4	Background of the Approach			30	Â	Â
5	Grading Scheme			5	Â	Â
6	HR Orientation	Â	Â	90	Â	Â
7	Ventus Video			15	Â	Â
8	Introductions			45	Â	IMPORTANT NOTES:
9	Making Phone Calls			Â	Â	RECAP/REVIEW ROLE PLAYS are not graded. This is the best venue for either peer or trainer feedback
10	Â	Present		Â	Â	For group activities, ensure that all members are contributing or participating to maximize the learning.
11	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Have you ever made a phone call before? How did you start the call? How did it end? Would you say the communication was successful? What was the purpose of the call? Did you get what you expected out of it? Share your experiences with a partner.	10	Â	Always pay close attention to pronunciation with every activity.
12	Â	Â	Systematization (present module on Sound Production)	45	Â	Â
13	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
14	Â	Â	Making Contact (Activity A)	25	Â	Â
15	Â	Â	Making Contact (Activity B)	25	Â	Â
16	Â	Â	Calling Back	25	Â	Â
17	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
18	Â	Â	Roleplay (scenarios)	60	Â	Â
19	Telephone English Roleplays			Â	Â	Â
20	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
21	Â	Â	Running Dictation	15	Â	Â
22	Â	Â	Systematization (Modality:Â going to and will)	30	Â	Â
23	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
24	Â	Â	ABC Tech Scenario 1	20	Â	Â
25	Â	Â	ABC Tech Scenario 2	20	Â	Â
26	Â	Â	ABC Tech Scenario 3	20	Â	Â
27	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
28	Â	Â	Roleplay (trainees pair up and come up with their own scenarios)	30	Â	Â
29	Lunch			60	Â	Â
30	Breaks			30	Â	Â
31	Total Time			630	Â	Â
32	Day 2			In Minutes	Â	Â
33	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY (Roleplay) - Making Phone Calls/ Sound Production			60	Â	Â
34	Complaints on the Telephone			Â	Â	Â
35	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
36	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Activity: Do you consider yourself a consumer? Share experiences with a group and then share with the rest of the class. Write down words associated with dissatisfaction.	15	Â	Â
37	Â	Â	Systematization (Different Types of Difficult Customers and How to Deal with Them)	45	Â	Â
38	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
39	Â	Â	Create your own Taboo	30	Â	Â
40	Â	Â	Complaints on the Telephone Activity C:Â Focus	30	Â	Â
41	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
42	Â	Â	Roleplay	60	Â	Â
43	Complaints on the Telephone			Â	Â	Â
44	Â	Pre-Task (list all the complaints you've made in a resto and categorize according to intention/function)		10	Â	Â
45	Â	Task		Â	Â	Â
46	Â	Â	Plan	10	Â	Â
47	Â	Â	Report	15	Â	Â
48	Â	Â	Analysis (Functions of Modal Verbs: Complaining, Softening the Message )	60	Â	Â
49	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
50	Â	Â	RoleplayÂ (Activity D)	60	Â	Â
51	Â	Quiz (Function of Modal Verbs and Aspects of Modality) PPT presentation for the questions		55	Â	Â
52	Lunch			60	Â	Â
53	Breaks			30	Â	Â
54	Total Time			540	Â	Â
55	Day 3			In Minutes	Â	Â
56	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY			Â	Â	Â
57	Â	Modality (Task 2, page 3) Check-Up Activity		20	Â	Â
58	Â	Roleplay (Difficult Customers)		40	Â	Â
59	CALL 1 (Anna Pagtakhan) - Modality			Â	Â	Â
60	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
61	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Activity: Play by Play (ask the trainees to listen to the call. They will need to pick out confusing statements or utterances they feel are out of place, uncalled for, etc.	15	Â	Â
62	Â	Â	Systematization (Modality: Requesting for Information, Asking for Permission)	30	Â	Â
63	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
64	Â	Â	Identifying and Correcting Modals Used in the Call	30	Â	Â
65	Â	Â	Role Play with Corrections	45	Â	Â
66	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
67	Â	Â	Role Plays ( How Would You Do It Better? - Only change CSRs responses - roles will be played by trainees, switch it up after)	45	Â	Â
68	CALL 1 (Anna Pagtakhan) - Soft Skills			Â	Â	Â
69	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
70	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Activity: Play by Play (ask the trainees to listen to the call. Go through their original list and if they feel that they need to add more statements that are possible causes for communication breakdown, then let them do so.)	30	Â	Â
71	Â	Â	Systematization (Soft Skills: Overtones, Tone and Undertones )	30	Â	Â
72	Â	Â	Systematization (Phonology: Connected Speech and Elision )	15	Â	Â
73	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
74	Â	Â	Identifying undertones in the call and correcting tone	30	Â	Â
75	Â	Â	Role Play with Corrections	60	Â	Â
76	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
77	Â	Â	Role Plays ( How Would You Do It Better? - Only change CSRs responses - roles will be played by trainees, switch it up after)	60	Â	Â
78	Lunch	Â	Â	60	Â	Â
79	Breaks	Â	Â	30	Â	Â
80	Total Time	Â	Â	540	Â	Â
81	Day 4			In Minutes	Â	Â
82	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY	Â	Â	Â	Â	Â
83	Â	Roleplay (Not Graded, Just give feedback) - Modality and Soft Skills	Â	40	Â	Â
84	CALL 2 (Christopher Gavero)			Â	Â	Â
85	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
86	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Activity: Play by Play (ask the trainees to listen to the call. They will need to pick out confusing statements or utterances they feel are out of place, uncalled for, etc.	30	Â	Â
87	Â	Â	Systematization (Modality: Giving advice/suggestions; Offering )	40	Â	Â
88	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
89	Â	Â	Identifying and Correcting Modals Used in the Call	30	Â	Â
90	Â	Â	Role Play with Corrections	45	Â	Â
91	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
92	Â	Â	Role Plays ( How Would You Do It Better? - Same scenario)	60	Â	Â
93	CALL 1 and CALL 3 (Anna Pagtakhan and Lorelie Sanchez)	Â	Â	Â	Â	Â
94	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
95	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Activity: Tag Team - An Exercise on Synonyms: Vocabulary Building - Word Mapping and Association	10	Â	Â
96	Â	Â	Systematization (Paraphrasing)	45	Â	Â
97	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
98	Â	Â	Identifying and Correcting Repetitive, Redundant and confusing statements. - Compare and Contrast	30	Â	Â
99	Â	Â	Role Play with Corrections	30	Â	Â
100	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
101	Â	Â	Role Plays (Change the CSRs responses for CALL 3)	60	Â	Â
102	Â	Â	QUIZ on Modality (Written)	30	Â	Â
103	Lunch			60	Â	Â
104	Breaks			30	Â	Â
105	Total Time			540	Â	Â
106	Day 5			In Minutes	Â	Â
107	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY	Â	Â	Â	Â	Â
108	Â	Roleplay (Modality and Paraphrasing)	Â	40	Â	Â
109	REVIEW for Written Exam	Â	Â	40	Â	Â
110	Â	WRITTEN EXAM: Application and Analysis		90	Â	Â
111	REVIEW for Final Role Play			40	Â	Â
112	Â	ORAL EXAM: One on One Role Play with Trainer	Â	240	Â	Â
113	Lunch	Â	Â	60	Â	Â
114	Breaks	Â	Â	30	Â	Â
115	Total Time	Â	Â	540	Â	Â

Time Allotment Week 2

Â	A	B	C	D	E	F
1	Day 6			In Minutes	Â	Â
2	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY (Roleplay) -Sound Production/Modality/ Handling Difficult Customers/ Paraphrasing			60	Â	Â
3	Â	Present (CALL 4: Matthew Ignacio)		Â	Â	For group activities, ensure that all members are contributing or participating to maximize the learning.
4	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Activity:Â I CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH. Divide the class into groups of five. Ask each group to come up with as many statements of fact that they can recall about the conversation they've listened to (i.e. The CSRs name is Matthew, etc.)	30	Â	Always pay close attention to pronunciation with every activity.
5	Â	Â	Systematization (Present the module on theÂ Present Simple TenseÂ )	45	Â	Â
6	Â	Practice (CALL 4: Matthew Ignacio)		Â	Â	Â
7	Â	Â	Filtering: Let the class listen to the call again, this time, give them the transcript as well. In groups, ask them to determine which statements are clearer if kept in the simple present tense.	60	Â	Â
8	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
9	Â	Â	RoleplayÂ (scenarios) - Ask the class to input their corrections into the call and then ask each pair to go through the motions of the call. Give immediate feedback.	80	Â	Â
10	CALL 5: Maria Josue			Â	Â	Â
11	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
12	Â	Â	Running Dictation:Â (1)Make the trainees listen to the call in its entirety. (2)Ask them to take down important notes and details. (3) Divide them into groups. (4) Give them 3 strips of paper per group. (5) Ask them to write statements that are relevant to the call, one statement per strip. (6) Ask them to pick out one representative. (7) The facilitator will collect all the strips and give statements from one group to another group's representative. (8) The representative will only be able to look at the statements for 30 seconds. (9) Then he/she will have to pass all three messages to the person next to him in line until it's been relayed to rest of the group. (10) The last person in the group will have to repeat all three statements.	30	Â	Â
13	Â	Â	Systematization (Present module on theÂ Present Progressive Tense)	35	Â	Â
14	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
15	Â	Â	Pick Your Brains:Â The class will have to pick out the statements following the form of the progressive simple tense.	45	Â	Â
16	Â	Â	Editing and Processing:Â Determine which statements should have been more comprehensible if the statements were in the progressive tense.	45	Â	Â
17	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
18	Â	Â	RoleplayÂ (trainees pair up and come up with their own conversation using the same concern as that in Call 5)	80	Â	Â
19	Lunch			60	Â	Â
20	Breaks			30	Â	Â
21	Total Time			540	Â	Â
22	Day 7			In Minutes	Â	Â
23	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY (Roleplay) - Use of the Present Simple and Present Progressive Tenses			60	Â	Â
24	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
25	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Complete the Sentence Activity (If I wereâ¦If you ask meâ¦)	20	Â	Â
26	Â	Â	Systematization (Present module on theÂ 1st Conditional: Present Simple and Future Simple Format)	30	Â	Â
27	CALL 6: Marilou Salcedo (Let the class listen to the call at least twice)			10	Â	Â
28	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
29	Â	Â	Determine if there are conditionals used and misused in the call	20	Â	Â
30	Â	Â	Applying the Format:Â Change statements into the first conditional.	40	Â	Â
31	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
32	Â	Â	Roleplay:Â Ask the trainees to come up with their own conversation based on the scenario in the call. They should be able to use the first conditional where it is needed.	60	Â	Â
33	CALL 7: Margaret Gonsoden			15	Â	Â
34	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
35	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Ask the trainees to pick out 1st conditionals in the call.	15	Â	Â
36	Â	Â	Systematization (Present module on theÂ 2nd and 3rd conditionals)	30	Â	Â
37	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
38	Â	Â	Applying the Format: Change the 1st conditionals into either 2nd or 3rd conditionals	30	Â	Â
39	Â	Â	Revision Mission:Â Ask the trainees to improve the conversation by injecting conditionals into strategic places in the call.	30	Â	Â
40	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
41	Â	Â	Role PlaysÂ ( How Would You Do It Better? - Only change CSRs responses - roles will be played by trainees, switch it up after)	60	Â	Â
42	Â			Â	Â	Â
43	Â	Quiz (Present Tenses:Â CTWE The Tenses Handout, page 1 items 1-8)		30	Â	Â
44	Lunch			60	Â	Â
45	Breaks			30	Â	Â
46	Total Time			540	Â	Â
47	Day 8			In Minutes	Â	Â
48	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY: Using Conditionals in a Role Play			60	Â	Â
49	CALL 8: Rosa Batangan			Â	Â	Â
50	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
51	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Modals and Conditionals: Are there any uses of modals or conditionals? How do these help keep the communication lines clear?	Â	Â	Â
52	Â	Â	Systematization (Making Modals and Conditionals Work for Us)	Â	Â	Â
53	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
54	Â	Â	Identifying and Correcting Repetitive, Redundant and confusing statements. -Â Compare and Contrast	Â	Â	Â
55	Â	Â	Role Play with Corrections	Â	Â	Â
56	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
57	Â	Â	Role Plays ( How Would You Do It Better? - Only change CSRs responses - roles will be played by trainees, switch it up after)	Â	Â	Â
58	CALL 9: Winston Mendiola			Â	Â	Â
59	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
60	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions) Modals and Conditionals: Are there any uses of modals or conditionals? How do these help keep the communication lines clear?	Â	Â	Â
61	Â	Â	Systematization (Making Modals and Conditionals Work for Us)	Â	Â	Â
62	Â	Practice		Â	Â	Â
63	Â	Â	Identifying and Correcting Repetitive, Redundant and confusing statements. -Â Compare and Contrast	Â	Â	Â
64	Â	Â	Role Play with Corrections	Â	Â	Â
65	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
66	Â	Â	Role Plays ( How Would You Do It Better? - Only change CSRs responses - roles will be played by trainees, switch it up after)	Â	Â	Â
67	Lunch			Â	Â	Â
68	Breaks			Â	Â	Â
69	Total Time			0	Â	Â
70	Day 9			In Minutes	Â	Â
71	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY			Â	Â	Â
72	Â	Roleplay (Not Graded, Just give feedback) -Conditionals		Â	Â	Â
73	American Culture			Â	Â	Â
74	Â	Present		Â	Â	Â
75	Â	Â	Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions)Â Â Elicitation Questions: Do you watch American sitcoms and movies? What have you observed about their lifestyle? What makes them tick? What values are important to them?	Â	Â	Â
76	Â	Â	SystematizationÂ (Show clips from sitcoms and/or movies that focus on: value of time; idea of customer service; being frank and direct to the point)	Â	Â	Â
77	Â	Practice (Plethora of Calls)		Â	Â	Â
78	Â	Â	Culture ClassÂ - Divide the class into groups: give each group a call that's been discussed in the course of the training program (Calls 1 -9). Ask them to pick out scenarios or dialogue that reflects a value that is concretely American.	Â	Â	Â
79	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
80	Â	Â	Role Play:Â Ask the trainees to come up with their own conversation scenarios based on the aspect of culture they picked out from the calls given to them.	Â	Â	Â
81	Present: Lead In (creating interest, eliciting answers, concept questions)Â Background on DISH Network Services			Â	Â	Â
82	Â	Presentation of Modules in Connection to the services offered: Customer Service		Â	Â	Â
83	Â	Â	Geography and Time Zones	Â	Â	Â
84	Â	Â	Sports	Â	Â	Â
85	Â	Â	Money	Â	Â	Â
86	Â	Â	Seasons and Holidays	Â	Â	Â
87	Â	Practice (Plethora of Calls)		Â	Â	Â
88	Â	Â	It's All in the Details- Divide the class into groups: give each group a call that's been discussed in the course of the training program (Calls 1 -9). Ask them to pick out scenarios or dialogue that reflects any of the modules tackled in the Present stage.	Â	Â	Â
89	Â	Production		Â	Â	Â
90	Â	Â	Role Play:Â Ask the trainees to come up with their own conversation scenarios based on the aspect of culture they picked out from the calls given to them.	Â	Â	Â
91	Lunch			Â	Â	Â
92	Breaks			Â	Â	Â
93	Total Time			0	Â	Â
94	Day 10			In Minutes	Â	Â
95	RECAP/REVIEW ACTIVITY			Â	Â	Â
96	Â	Roleplay (Tenses, Conditionals, Active and Passive Verbs )		40	Â	Â
97	REVIEW for Written Exam	Â	Â	40	Â	Â
98	Â	WRITTEN EXAM: Application and Analysis	Â	90	Â	Â
99	REVIEW for Final Role Play	Â	Â	40	Â	Â
100	Â	ORAL EXAM: One on One Role Play with Trainer	Â	240	Â	Â
101	Lunch			60	Â	Â
102	Breaks			30	Â	Â
103	Total Time	Â	Â	540	Â	Â

I transcribed the call and below is my lesson plan which I patterned from their format above.

AGENTÂ : Thank fuh calling Circuit City, muh name is Zach. Meh please have phone number beginning with the area code?

CUSTOMERÂ : Hi Zach, this is Sheik Sylvan and I just need to ask a few questions.

AGENTÂ Â : Go ahead.

CUSTOMERÂ : Okay, I am having your catalog in front of me and the last page is computer. Itâs HP Turion laptop with a Core 2 Duo Centrino. It comes with a window vista and it plays one the fent charges with the Window XP. Can you do that or it has to be Window vista?

AGENTÂ : Aahmm well if waahh that is only aahh the inclusion of aahh the order we cannot do anything about it.

CUSTOMERÂ : Oh, you cannot do anything. Shall I call some of the number if there are anything?

AGENTÂ Â : Aahh you chood try contacting the manufacturer of the laptop.

CUSTOMERÂ : Do you have the number?

AGENTÂ Â : Aahh what is the ahh ahh item?

CUSTOMERÂ : Okay, the web ID is DV6833us.

AGENTÂ Â : What is the brand of the laptop?

CUSTOMERÂ : Okay, thatâs aahh HP Turion laptop.

AGENTÂ Â : Itâs HP pavilion.

CUSTOMERÂ : Yes, the pavilion laptop with the Intel Centrino Core 2 Duo.

AGENTÂ Â : Okay, contact Hewlett Packard 800â¦

CUSTOMERÂ : Okay 800â¦

AGENTÂ Â : 752â¦

CUSTOMERÂ : 752â¦

AGENTÂ Â : 0900â¦

CUSTOMERÂ : Say it again, 29?

AGENTÂ Â : 7920900â¦

CUSTOMERÂ : Iâm sorry, can you repeat it again?

AGENTÂ Â : 09-00, the last four number.

CUSTOMERÂ : 0900. Okay, so itâs 8007520900, all right?

AGENTÂ Â : That is correct.

CUSTOMERÂ : Thank you, Sir.

AGENTÂ Â : Thank you for calling Cir City. Have a great day.Â

Let me know if you want me to email you the selected call in .wmv format.

Title: Name That ToneÂ Â Â Â By: Francis Paolo Meria

Activity: Reading sentences using different emotionsÂ Audio file: John Paul Cruz (bad call CCCS)Â

Concept to be taught: Tone, Overtones and UndertonesÂ

Learning Outcomes / Instructional Goal

To realize the importance of tone
To be able to identify and correct undertones
To build rapport by using the using the right tone of voice

Purpose: This activity helps the trainees to become more confident in their ability to recognize tones different forms. It also helps motivate everyone in the room to participate in the learning.Â Â

Assessment - At the end of the lesson, assess whether the objective was achieved or not with an activity. Show sentences and statements and ask the agents individually to say the sentence using the correct tone of voice or the trainer could say a sentence with different emotions and ask each trainee to identify the mood of the speaker. In this way, the concept will be clear.Â

Present

Lead In Â : creating interests, eliciting answers, concept questions (How does tone of voice affect communication? How do you thank someone? How do you say âIâm sorryâ?) â 5 minutesÂ

Methodology/ProcedureÂ : ask the trainees to listen to the call and pick out confusing statements, utterances they feel are out of place, uncalled for, etc. Go through their original list and if they feel that they need to add more statements that are possible causes for communication breakdown, then let them do so. âÂ 10 minutesÂ

Systematization â Soft skills (overtones, tone and undertones) â 10 minutesÂ

Practice

Identify the undertones in the call â 5 minutesÂ

Filtering â let the class listen to the call again, this time, give them the transcript as well â 15 minutesÂ

Revision Mission â ask the trainees to improve the conversation by applying the appropriate tone of voice in each statement â 30 minutesÂ

Production

Role-plays â how would you do it better? (roles will be played by trainees, switch it up after) â 45 minutesÂ

Re: subject of subordinate clause

Avangi — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:03:44 GMT

#1 John who took my pen is here.

#2 John who is wearing my jacket is here.

How firm a grasp would you like to obtain? (I know I shouldn't have written that, but I couldn't resist.)

The thing that works for me is to take out the the subject and the "verb" and see if it still makes sense. (That may even be the "rule.")

The reason it works in #2 and not in #1 is the difference in tenses and in verb forms. In "who took my pen" vs "who is wearing my jacket" "who" is the subject in each case, so that's not the difference. (If you took out "who," what would you propose for the subject? Without a subject you have no clause. You might think to claim "John" as the subject, but it can't be the subject of both clauses. You could use a compound predicate: "John is wearing my jacket and is here." )

Notice that in #2 both clauses are present tense. The verb is actually "is wearing," present progressive of "to wear." So you don't actually take out the verb - only the helping verb "is," which leaves you with the present participle, "wearing." You now have a participial phrase, "wearing my jacket," which is just fine. He's wearing it now and he's here now.

In #1, there's no helping verb to take out. You could take out the "who," leaving you with a compound predicate, but you'd need to add a conjunction. "John took my pen and is here." (The two different tenses work, but "is here" is no longer the dominant idea.)

If the original were, "John, who is taking my pulse, is Russian," then it works like #2. "John, taking my pulse, is Russian."

If you use two different tenses, as in the original #1, you'd have, "John, who was taking my pulse, is Russian." That leads to, "John, taking my pulse, is Russian." What happened to your past tense?

So try it, and ask yourself if the meaning is still the same.

Best wishes, - A.

Re: contemplating throwing

Hoa Thai — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 06:32:44 GMT

Anewcomer wrote:
Hi Teachers I came across this sentence in a story book: He had stood upon his balcony and contemplated throwing himself down to the street. Why it's not like this: He had stood upon his balcony and contemplated to throw himself down to the street And what is the difference? And can i say: "continuing saying things" or "continue saying things" or "continue to say things", and what's the difference Thanks

Hi,

The verb contemplate belongs to a group of verbs such as admit, avoid, deny, enjoy, and many more that are followed by a noun or gerund but not an infinitive.

The verb continue, however, may be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive.

We use the present progressive to send a message of âin middle of doing somethingâ (i.e., the action itself). The present tense simply shows the state.

Re: I regret saying that I hate/hated you.

Avangi — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:06:58 GMT

Angliholic wrote:
I regret saying that I hate you.
I regret saying that I hated you.

I regret to say that I hate you.

I regret to say that I hated you.

Which of the above four versions sound right to you? Which ones are identical in meaning? Thanks.

Hi Angliholic,

I regret to say I'd probably use only the first one. There's no reason to put "hate" in the past tense, unless there's some contextual evidence that I had stopped hating you at the time I said it. It's quite messy, because there's the time of the hating, the time of the saying, and the time of the regretting.

The main verb regret is simple present tense in all four examples. If you said, "I enjoy saying that I hate you," it would be much easier. It would have the flavor of present progressive simply because of the context - like, "I'm enjoying saying that I hate you." "I enjoy saying that I hated you," would have a very clear meaning.

Pucca is probably right about "saying" vs "to say." I personally would use the present participle with the verb (I regret saying) and save the infinitive for the adjective (I'm sorry to say.) But I know people say, "I regret to say that I hated you," meaning, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I used to hate you," as Pucca suggests.

- A.

Re: "Play" or "playing"; "wear" or "wearing"

MarvinTheMartian — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:53:12 GMT

Thank you, Mister Micawber! I thought as much. Indeed, it does sound more natural to use the present progressive in these sentences. However, from a logical standpoint, I still donât understand why it would be improper to use the simple present tense. After all, in both cases, âto playâ and âto wearâ are what you could call ârepeated actionsâ.

P.S.: âDavid Copperfieldâ is a favorite of mine too. I have the novel and the old film version starring W.C. Fields as Mr. Micawber. Great stuff!

How many tenses are there in English language?

Jackson6612 — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:03:33 GMT

I was told that there are twelve tenses in English:

1: Simple Present Tense

2: Present Perfect Tense

3: Present Progressive Tense

4: Present Perfect Progressive Tense

5: Simple Past Tense

6: Past Perfect Tense

7: Past Progressive Tense

8: Past Perfect Progressive Tense

9: Simple Future Tense

10: Future Perfect Tense

11: Future Progressive Tense

12: Future Perfect Progressive Tense

But I read somewhere that total number of tenses in English is six or seven. Is this true?

Re: choice of tense

CalifJim — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:15:34 GMT

The present tenses (present (simple) and present progressive) can express future time in English, not just the will form. The idiom going to also expresses future time.

She [plays / is playing / will play / is going to play] on Saturday.

All can be used for future time.

If the main clause is in the future or the imperative, a secondary clause of time (by the time, as soon as, ...) is in the present or present perfect. If the present is used, we're looking at it from a forward point of view, from now until that future point in time. It has the sense of waiting. If the present perfect is used, we're looking at it from a backward point of view. From that future point in time, it will already have happened.

The present perfect seems to me to be used more in cases of completion of a task or a trajectory (finish, arrive). It is also less used in general than the simple present in that context.

Don't forget to give me your phone number before you [go / ?have gone]. (not completion of a task)
Don't you dare leave the house before you [do / have done] your homework. (completion of a task)
When you [see / ?have seen] me, you will recognize me. (not completion of a task)
I'll let you know once I [confirm / have confirmed] the reservations. (completion of a task)
When you [know / *have known] the answer, please tell me, too. (not completion of a task)
When he [fixes / has fixed] the television, I'll pay him, and not a minute sooner. (completion of a task)

CJ

Re: subtle differences

Believer — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:41:46 GMT

Thank you.

So is it your educated opinion that when whenver we see a sentence is in the present tense, then we are seeing a sentence that is showing the attribute aspect and the whenver we see a sentence in the present progressive tense, then we are seeing a sentence exhibiting the progressive aspect?

Also, with all due respect, I have a little reservation about the word "audibly" in the sentence "Don't talk audibly." I think that sentence conveys the notion that says "Don't make any audible sound."

Re: a simple grammar problem....

Peano — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 19:14:05 GMT

>"my dad said he is going to work tomorrow" or "my dad said he was going to work tomorrow."

I don't agree that was is correct. The past tense said in this sentence refers to the time the man spoke. The present progressive is going is used in the sense of the future tense and refers to the time the intended action will be performed.

Consider it this way: To express his intention of going to work tomorrow, he would not say I was going to work tomorrow. He would say I am going to work tomorrow.

In accurately reporting what was said, you must preserve the future sense of am going: My dad said he is going to work ....

See Garner: "When a subordinate clause states an ongoing or general truth, it should be in the present tense regardless of the tense in the principal clause -- thus He said yesterday that he is Jewish, not He said yesterday that he was Jewish.

Re: Present Perfect vs. Present Simple, once again

paco2004 — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 19:57:45 GMT

Hello Astraea

I too am a learner of English, but let me answer to your question.

Are you asking if the sentences like below are correct?
       I write a letter now.
       I just finish my assignment.
No, both are incorrect. ~~Do you ask why?~~ Are you asking why? It's because "write" and "finish" are dynamic verbs. You can say "I live now in Zagreb", because "live" is a stative verb. But in the case when the verb is dynamic, the simple present tense can be used only when you talk about some habitual activity. For example,
        I write a letter to my mother once a week.
        Every week I finish my assignment before Friday night.
If you want to say some one-time event using a dynamic verb, you have to say it in [1] the past tense, [2] the present perfect tense, [3] the present progressive tense, [4] or the future tense.
        [1] I wrote a letter to my mother yesterday.
        [2] I have written a letter to my mother now.
        [3] I am now writing a letter to my mother.
        [4] I will write a letter to my mother tomorrow.

paco