Hi everyone
@otaku_professor and @Wipad prompted me to write this blog about the use of English verb. Many Vietnamese seem to have problems with the tenses. Vietnamese tenses have only three forms: past (đã), present and future (sẽ). But the tenses in English are dependent on the moment of speaking, the time and the progress of activities.
English is not English. British English, US English, Indian English, Australian English, New Zealand English, etc. But the use of tenses are the same. There are some deviations of words, but they won’t effect the tenses. For example, the past form of to show:
- British English: shown, realised, etc.
- US English: showed, realized, etc.
Simple Present Tense expresses the perceptions, feelings, states, repetitions, facts, short future. All of this can extend beyond the moment of speaking. Example:
- moment of speaking: I hear a plane
- perception: you look worried
- feeling: I like this picture
- state: I am hungry
- repetition: He goes to the movie every Saturday
- fact: the sun rises in the east
Or will take place in the near future often with adverbs (e.g. tomorrow, yesterday, etc.). Example:
- short future: when you leave? I leave tomorrow
Present Progressive Tense expresses activities that started in the past and are in actual progress at the moment of speaking. Example:
- What are you doing? I’m watching TV
- I’m fixing a flat tire of my bicycle
Or will take place in the near future often with adverbs (e.g. tomorrow, next week, etc.) that indicate the future. Example:
- I’m leaving tomorrow (or I go tomorrow)
- Where are we going tonight?
Simple Past Tense expresses activities that existed or occurred in the past. Activities that lasted for a while or were repeated in the past. Example:
- existed: They left an hour ago
- lasted for a while: I ate Bún Bò yesterday
- repeated: Jennifer played tennis every saturday (she doesn’t play anymore)
Past Progressive Tense expresses activities which were in progress at the time of another activity in the past. Example:
- I was feeling better when the doctor arrived
- He was having a good time when I saw him at the party
Or activities that last for a while in the past. Example:
- I was working last night
- He was sitting in the lobby an hour ago
(to be continued)