Search results for 'tag:Simple present tag:Past perfect' matching tags 'Simple present' and 'Past perfect'

Simple past or past simple

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:55:32 GMT

Hi everybody,

Why do all the Grammar books use the expressions "simple present" and "simple past", although all the other tenses start with the tense-marker and add the aspect-marker then: present progressive, present perfect, present perfect progressive, past progressive, past perfect, past perfect progressive.
Couldn't it be more logical to then say "present simple" and "past simple"?

Yours, D.S. Elfers

Simple past or past simple?

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:47:13 GMT

Hi everybody,

I'm a teacher of English at a German Grammar School and after 12 years of experience I'm still wondering about the following puzzle:
Why do all the Grammar books stick to the "confusing" expressions simple past and simple present, although it seems quite more logical to say past simple and present simple? I really prefer these expressions in my classes, because all the other tenses just start with the "tense marker" and go on with the "aspect marker": present progressive, present perfect, past progressive, past perfect.
Can I go on using my preferable expressions?

Yours, D.S. Elfers

Re: Names of different tenses

CalifJim — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:23:08 GMT

Here are some Present - Past pairs:

Simple present - Simple past [He takes. He took.]

Present progressive - Past progressive [He is taking. He was taking.]

Present perfect - Past perfect [He has taken. He had taken.]

Present perfect progressive - Past perfect progressive [He has been taking. He had been taking.]

(Simple) Future (of the Present) (will) - ( Simple) Future of the Past (would) [He will take. He would take.]

Future (of the Present) progressive - Future (of the Past) progressive [He will be taking. He would be taking.]

Future (of the Present) perfect - Future (of the Past) perfect [He will have taken. He would have taken.]

Future (of the Present) perfect progressive - Future (of the Past) perfect progressive [He will have been taking. He would have been taking.]

(Future of the Past -- (with would)-- is also called "Conditional".)

(Progressive is also called Continuous.)

Caution: Not all discussions of tense use the same names for the tenses.

Re: Names of different tenses

Raen — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:06:59 GMT

Thank you so much CB, I'm taking them all in now. But,

In the one sentence you crossed out the word "had", I was taught it had to be present to differentiate the order of occuraces or actions taken place in a sentence that has more than 1 clause. Let me expand on it by ways of examples:

He has taken the job as we speak. -- has taken (perfect tense) happens before speak (simple present)

He had taken the job before he moved here -- had taken (past perfect) happens before moved (simple past)

and in conditionals (I'm learning now that's what it's called):

He would have completed the task if he asked for help -- would have completed (perfect conditional) used for asked (simple past)

and this is what I was taught that's tricky,

He would have had completed the task if he had asked for help before he left work -- would have had completed used for had asked (past perfect) that happens before left (simple past)

Is it false then? "would have + (past perfect)" doesn't exist?

Thank you.

Raen

Re: How to remember tenses?

Goodman — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:25:45 GMT

Huygen,

By reading your post, something tells me that your English level should be beyond the question you just asked, and able to categorize the tenses already.

There are 3 basic tenses: Simple past â present â future

There are past progressive- present progressive- future progressive.

Then there past perfect- present perfect âfuture perfect which is not commonly used.

I am curious, may be I am missing something. Why do you have to memorize the tenses?

We should be able use it according to the sense of time.

You are walking â you are doing something at this minute. So itâs present progressive

I walk 2 miles everyday after work. Simple present, used to reflect a routine.

They were watching TV when you called last night.- Simple past progressive.

The perfect tenses are more complex and you may have to do some reading and studying on your own.

Here is something which may be helpful: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfect.html

Re: have got

Skrej — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:52:03 GMT

Hahah, you two make me laugh with these posts.

Yoong, all your emoticons and hyper-links work fine for me. I can click on your links and it brings up the post, just like it's supposed to.

About contractions: It depends upon what kind of contraction. Personal pronoun contractions can be used with everything except the simple present, simple past, and past continuous, including most present forms, and all the future forms. They won't work with the simple past, but they can work with the past perfect, and past perfect continuous. However, they can be a bit ambiguous, so you need to write your sentences so they're clear, or write them out to avoid any confusing cases. Also, contractions are viewed as informal, so be aware of the situation you're writing for, when deciding whether or not to use them.

I'd studied acting before moving to New York. (past. perf.)

You weren't studying? (past cont. but -it's not a personal pronoun contraction.)

You'd been studying when she called. (past. perf. cont.)

I'll do it in a minute( simple future)
I'll have finished it by the time you get home. (future perf.)

However:

He's tired. (Unclear- Is it "He is tired" (simple present), or "He has tired" (pres. perf.)

Re: Please help me with Tenses

Clive — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:10:58 GMT

Hi,

Simple Present: I study English

Present Continuous: I am studying English

Present Perfect: I have studied English

Present Perfect Continuous: I have been studying English

Simple Past: I studied English

Past Continuous I was studying English

Past Perfect: I had studied English

Past Perfect Continuous:I had been studying English

Future: I will study English

Future Continuous:I will be studying English

Future Perfect:I will have studied English

Future Perfect Continuous? I will have been studying English

or some more? You might want to look at 'future (and past) with going to'. There's also the Passive Voice.

Best wishes, Clive

Please help me with Tenses

Nessitas — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:52:46 GMT

Simple Present: I study English

Present Continuous: I am studying English

Present Perfect: I have studied English

Present Perfect Continuous: I have been studying English

Simple Past: I studied English

Past Perfect: ?

Past Prefect Continuous:?

Future: I will study English

Future Continuous: ?

Future Perfect:?

Have Past Continuous? Future Perfect Continuous? or some more?

Re: is this right?

Mister Micawber — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:56:24 GMT

.
I have struck out the incorrect ones:

a)       I havenât spoken to him yet - present perfect ~~continuous~~
b)       Did you go to the pub last night? - past ~~perfect~~
c)       Theyâre living in Paris now - simple present continuous
d)       I didnât know that I hadnât locked the door - past perfect
e)       Iâve been thinking of leaving him for ages - ~~past~~ perfect continuous
f)         John Lennon was murdered by Mark Chapman - past ~~perfect~~

is this right?

Anonymous — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:13:59 GMT

a) I havenât spoken to him yet - present perfect continuousb) Did you go to the pub last night? - past perfectc) Theyâre living in Paris now - simple present continuousd) I didnât know that I hadnât locked the door - past perfecte) Iâve been thinking of leaving him for ages - past perfect continuousf) John Lennon was murdered by Mark Chapman - past perfect