miércoles, 25 de julio de 2012

Past tense and present progressive


Past tense

The past tense is a verb tense expressing activity, action state or being in the past.
Is formed by adding -ed / d to their base form. (If the verb ends in "-e", we add "-d" to form the past simple.)
There are also some verbs called irregular verbs that have special past tense forms.
Regular verbs:
base form + "ed" or "d":
work + "ed" = worked
live + “d" = lived

I/you/he/she/it/we/they worked
I/you/he/she/it/we/they lived
Irregular verbs
Some examples are
Be - was /were
Buy - bought
Draw - drew
Drive - drove
Eat - ate
I/you/he/she/it/we/they saw
To form the negative and interrogative sentences we use the past form of auxiliary verb do --> did:
Negative form
I
you                    DID + NOT
he/she/it               /DIDN'T/
we                    + WORK
they

He didn't work yesterday.
She didn't see him last night.




Interrogative form

                I
               you
DID       he/she/it        WORK?
                we
               they

Did he work yesterday?
Did she see him last night?

 If it is the verb "to be" we use was/were before the subject:
Was he at the office the other day?

Examples
Susan bought her little sister a doll.
We came here in 1980.
I worked at Johnson & Co. from 1990 to 1995.
My brother lived in London for six years.
Did you go to the cinema last night?
Yes, I did.
No, I didn't.
Did he speak with Kate yesterday?
Yes, he did.
No, he didn't.


Present progressive
The Present Continuous or progressive is made with the present form of the verb "to be" (I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are, you are, they are) + the '-ing' form of the main verb. The '-ing' form of the verb is called the Present Participle.
Examples: 
1. What are you doing?                                       3. He is reading a newspaper.
2. I'm having a bath.                                           4. Are they working?
- We most often use the Present Continuous when we talk about something which is happening at the time of speaking (now, at the moment):

Examples: 
Pamela is sleeping in the bedroom.
The telephone is ringing
They are doing their homework.
I'm waiting for my girlfriend in front of the cinema.

- Present Continuous is also used when we talk about something which is happening at present, but not necessarily at the moment of speaking:
Examples:
I'm reading an interesting book.
 Tom is looking for a new job.
We are studying English and Spanish.

We can use the Present Continuous when we talk about temporary actions taking place only for a period of time (today, this week, this semester, this year):

Examples: 
 My husband is working hard today.
 They are spending this week in Paris.
She is teaching English this semester.
We are staying at the Bristol Hotel tonight.
I'm living with my parents at the moment but soon I'll buy my own house.


Bibliography

“Touchstone” Michael McCarthy Jeanne McCarten Helen Sandiford
Volume 2
Cambridge University
12th printing 2009

“Upload” Virginia Evans jenny Dooley
Volume 4
Express publishing
Second impression 2011


cars.edu.mx
escuelas - Monterrey

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