2015-10-23 Grammar: perfect aspect

Greg Malivuk
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http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk
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Homework: p. 18 exercise 4 - decide if each sentence should be simple or progressive (you will also need to decide the time frame - past, present, or future)
1 am studying (or “will study”)
2 was reading
3 get, are marching
4 isn’t studying / doesn’t study
5 speaks / spoke / is speaking / was speaking
6 was looking, “discovered”
7 reached, thought
8 am trying / was trying / will try / am going to try
9 was studying, heard
10 be sleeping

I’m going to help you move. (I made this plan already, before now.)
I will help you move. (I’m deciding right now to offer my help.)

I ate dinner at 7:00. (At 7 I started dinner.)
I was eating dinner at 7:00. (At 7 I was in the middle of eating. I had started at 6:45, for example.)
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I wrote a book. (I finished the book at some specific time in the past, and I may not write more.)
I have written a book. (I finished the book, but I don’t say when, and I may write more.)
I have been writing a book. (I started in the past but I am still writing it now.)

I didn’t go swimming this year. (I didn’t, and the time for swimming is finished.)
I haven’t gone swimming this year. (I haven’t yet, but I still might.)

Charles Dickens wrote many books in his life. (His life is finished, so he won’t write any more.)
Stephen King has written many books in his life. (His life is not finished, so he may write more.)
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Charles Dickens had written three books. (At the beginning of 1839, he had only written three books before that.)

With past or future perfect, there is a specific “focus” time that you are comparing the event to.

In 1839, Dickens wrote his fourth book.
At the beginning of 1839, Dickens was writing his fourth book.
At/By the beginning of 1839, Dickens had written three books.
At/By the beginning of 1839, Dickens had been writing for five years.

In 2039 I will write my fourth book.
At the beginning of 2039, I will be writing my fourth book.
At/By the beginning of 2039, I will have written three books.
At/By the beginning of 2039, I will have been writing for five years.

I have read 100 books. (Each book is finished (and I might read more later).)
I have been reading 100 books. (I am in the middle of 100 different books right now.)
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p. 21 exercise 7 - should be perfect or perfect progressive?
1 has been raining
2 had worked / had been working
3 have found
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Homework: p. 22 exercise 8 - write the correct (past) forms of the verbs