Representing Time: Present, Past and Future

1
Representing TimePresent, Past and Future
2
Time can be expressed

• Using the verb group/verb phrase through the
  tense system
• eats
• ate
• will eat
• Using time expressions like the following
• in two hours
• for sometime
• every morning
• Q How are these expressions different?

3
These time expressions

• express duration in time
• For many years
• express location in time
• In two days
• express frequency in time
• every day
• Annually
• Often

4
Time can be expressed

• Using conjunctions
• She entered the room while he was dancing.
• When they saw the police, they ran away.
• Using other adverbials that link the sentence
  with previous text
• As will be seen, .
• Then,

5
The tense system

• Absolute tense
• Present
• Past
• Future
• Reference point the time of speaking / writing
• Relative tense
• Present (before)
• Past (after)
• before /after a reference point which could be
  in the past/ present or future

6

• Simple present
• She eats an apple every day.
• Present perfect
• She has eaten an apple today.
• Past perfect
• She had (already) eaten an apple when they
  offered her lunch.

7
Activity

• Explain the difference in the time expressed by
  these verb forms
• Use some form of graphical mapping if that helps.
• Eats
• Ate
• Will eat
• is eating
• has eaten
• was eating
• had eaten
• Will be eating
• will have eaten
• Has been eating
• Had been eating
• will have been eating

8
How are these different?

• George is stupid.
• George is being stupid.