Today's lesson was a discussion on English grammar and the importance of trying to think in English rather than translate from Italian.
Concepts of distance
(click on the images to see the full charts)
In the English system there are 2 elements of meaning:
TIME
But be careful !
Your plane leaves at 10.00 tomorrow. (present tense referring to the future)
I wish I was taller. (past tense referring to the present)
I could come tomorrow if you like. (past tense referring to the future)
ASPECT
- SIMPLE - complete, finished, permanent, emphasises amount, neutral, formal
- CONTINUOUS – duration, in progress, temporary, changing situation or trend, personal feeling (e.g. surprise, irritation, criticism), informal
- PERFECT – an action completed before another time or an action producing a result relevant to a later situation. Shows the relationship between different times.
e.g. I've read the book.
action result
reading knowledge
past present
Each of these aspects adds another layer of meaning to the verb.
Choosing the right tenses depends on many factors not a set of grammatical rules!
Context & Meaning - Conditionals
CONTEXT & MEANING:
What’s the difference in meaning between the following sentences.
What do you do if you miss the train?
What will you do if you miss the train?
What would you do if you missed the train?
What would you have done if you had missed the train?
If I was punctual, I wouldn’t have missed the train.
If I had been punctual, I wouldn’t have missed the train.
If I hadn’t missed the train, I would be home now.
If I hadn’t missed the train, I would have been home earlier.
Sources: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41658221/English%20Grammar%20and%20Thinking%20in%20English
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442655/The%20English%20Tense%20System
Homework
Find a short article and highlight all the tenses used. Why has the author CHOSEN to use those tenses?
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