Mfa2 Time and Tense - 3 2019

BMFA2 Time and Tense. Aspect (continued). Expressing Future.
Time and Tense. The System of English Tenses.
Aspect (continued)
The PROGRESSIVE ASPECT is a grammatical category used with both past and non-past tenses. The form
of the progressive consists of the auxiliary be (which is inflected) and the -ing form of a lexical verb.
➢ Summarize the main functions of the progressive aspect:
(a) (b)
duration limited
………………………………… …………………………………
Where’s Joan? – She’s cooking the dinner. Joan was cooking the dinner at 7 p.m.
The weather is changing for the better. The house is falling down!
My watch is working perfectly.
What on Earth are you doing? – I’m trying to play
the violin.
(c) (d)
incomplete frame
………………………………… …………………………………
The hunter was drowning, but Tarzan jumped This time last year I was travelling round the
into the water and saved him. world.
The helicopter was landing. When we arrived Ben was making coffee.
The progressive aspect is typically used with dynamic verbs. The stative verbs are normally “anti-
progressive”, i.e., incompatible with the progressive.
Exercise 1. Study the following examples and comment on the acceptability/*unacceptability of the
forms used:
(1) verbs of inert perception: feel, hear, see, smell, taste
I (can) see a bus in the distance. I’m hearing you clearly.
*I am seeing a bus in the distance. I’m not seeing clearly these days. I need glasses. deterioration
I (can) smell the perfume. action all of a sudden Oh, I’m smelling the perfume . . . with the intention to smell it
This drink tastes like sherry. I’m tasting the sauce to say if it is spicy enough.
(2) verbs of inert cognition (intellectual states): believe, know, realize, understand
I think she’s getting upset. stable opinion I’m thinking about what you said. actual gradual reasoning
I believe in fair play. smthn that does not change I’m supposing, for the purposes of this argument,
I suppose all the tickets have been sold now, have that your intentions are unknown. making considerations
they?
(3) verbs of emotion, attitude: like, hope, want, wish
She loves working on a farm. I’m hoping you will give us some advice. level of politeness
I see your point. We’re wondering if you have any suggestions.level of politeness
I hope you’re doing well.
(4) verbs of having and being: belong (to), contain, consist of, cost, depend on, matter, own, resemble
experiencing/going through it
I have two cats. I’m having a shower/a good time/a headache.
My uncle is a pilot. He’s being a fool. She’s being awkward. temporary behaviour
This phone belongs to me. Today, my uncle is being Napoleon.

*I’m owning this phone.
Your age doesn’t matter.
(5) verbs of bodily sensation: ache, feel, hurt, itch
My knee hurts. My knee is hurting.
I can feel a stone in my shoe. I’m feeling hungry.
• SPECIAL USES OF THE PROGRESSIVE

• with ___________________
punctual (dynamic) verbs: the activity in progress is seen as a series of
happenings
He was jumping up and down.
I was nodding.
• we don’t perceive the habit as a whole, but the individual events of which this habit is composed
(a) She works in the garden. X (b) Whenever I see her, she’s working in the garden.
Don’t call on them at 7.30—they are usually having dinner.
• habits of limited duration: series of repeated events
timeless activity determined period of time
(a) I take dancing lessons every Tuesday. X (b) I’m taking dancing lessons this winter.
Non-past Tenses. Expressing Future Time.

The non-past tenses include the present simple/progressive discussed earlier and various expressions
of the future time.
(Remember that the term “present tense” do not fully correspond to the idea of present time, since the present
tense can refer to the past [recent past, historic present] as well as to the future [timetable events, tense in
temporal clauses].)
The future time can be expressed in various ways. Consult the examples below and explain why
the grammar books avoid the popular label “future t e n s e ”.
The parcel arrives tomorrow. present simple
The parcel is arriving tomorrow. present progressive
The parcel is going to arrive tomorrow. semi-auxiliary be going to + infinitive
The parcel will arrive tomorrow. modal auxiliary will/shall + infinitive
The parcel will be arriving tomorrow. modal auxiliary will/shall + progressive
The parcel is about to be delivered. semi-auxiliary be about to + infinitive
(1) WILL + INFINITIVE

The most common way of expressing neutral, “colourless” future. If will refers to the future, it is
classified as an auxiliary verb; its function, however, is intermingled with modal meanings of volition
and prediction. Prediction is also the word which most usefully characterises the future meaning of
will; since prediction involves speaker’s judgement of future events, it is impossible to speak about a
mere future “tense”.
Will can occur as the contracted form -’ll or as the negative contraction won’t.
• shall = an alternative of will used mostly with 1st person sg./pl.
contrast: (a) I hope we shall meet again soon.
(b) You shall not pass! shall=must
(c) Within five business days of receiving written notice from a party that a dispute exists, the
parties shall meet and negotiate in good faith . . .
(2) BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE

The general meaning of this construction is “future fulfilment of the present”.
2.1 future fulfilment of present intention (future events have been previously arranged in some
detail)
They’re going to get married in a registry office.
My parents are going to vote for Trump.
contrast: (a) I intend to punish them. (b) I’m going to punish them.
2.2 the future fulfilment of present cause (there is some present evidence)
Watch it! That pile of boxes is going to fall! = I can see it already tottering.
There’s going to be a storm in a minute. = I can see the clouds gathering.1
(3) PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

A future happening is anticipated in the present as a present arrangement (a plan/programme that
was fixed and decided on).
1
Be going to does not guarantee that the event will actually come to pass. Consider the past reference The car
was going to crash, but with the last wrench of the wheel I brought it to safety.
The Chelsea–Arsenal match is being played next Saturday.

I’m inviting several people to a party.
contrast: (a) I’m going to take Mary out for dinner this evening. (b) I’m taking Mary out for dinner
this evening.
(4) PRESENT SIMPLE

Used namely in subordinate clauses with conditional and temporal conjunctions if, unless, when, as
soon as, as, . . . In main clauses it expresses future as a fact (we ascribe to the future the degree of
certainty normally associated with the present).
Next year the United Nations celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of its charter.
Next Christmas falls on a Thursday.
contrast: (a) We start for Istanbul tonight. (b) We are starting for Istanbul tonight.
(5) WILL + PROGRESSIVE

5.1 refers to temporary happenings in the future (creating a temporal “frame” for a future point of
time).
Don’t phone me at 7 o’clock, I’ll be watching my favourite TV programme.
When you reach the end of the street, I’ll be waiting there to show you the way.
5.2 refers to future situation which are expected to happen in the normal course of events.
Pilot to passengers: We’ll be flying at 30,000 feet.
This use of will does not involve making plans or decisions; the events we talk about will happen
“anyway”. In other words, we disclaim any personal volition or intention:
‘Shall I pick up the laundry for you?’ – ‘Oh, no, don’t make a special journey.’ – ‘It’s OK. I'll be going
to the shops anyway.’
Next week we’ll be studying Byron’s narrative poems.
contrast: (a) I’ll drive to London next week. (b) I’ll be driving to London next week.
5.3 explain the following:
Will you be staying in this evening?
Will you be wanting lunch tomorrow?
(6) WILL + PERFECTIVE

is a means of expressing past in the future; there is the retrospective view on something that will be
finished or complete by a certain time in the future.
The builders say they will have finished the roof by Tuesday.
By the age of 20, as a typical teenager you will have watched 700,000 YouTube videos.
(7) BE ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE

refers to the immediate future and is close to the meaning of be going to, except that it suggests
greater immediacy.2
The plane’s about to take off.
Don't go out now—we're about to have lunch.
2
The semi-auxiliaries be going to and be able to can have the past reference (the verb be is inflected using the
past form): I was about to go to bed when the telephone rang.
Exercise 2. Classify the verb forms and explain their usage.

1. a) “George phoned while you were out.” – “OK. I’ll phone him back.”
b) “George phoned while you were out.” – “Yes, I know. I’m going to phone him back.”
2. a) He’s not going to make it.
b) He won’t make it.
3. a) What time are you leaving tomorrow? asking about an action in arrangemet
b) What time does the train leave tomorrow?

4. a) I am going to move to another school soon.
b) I am moving to another school soon.
5. a) Will you read it?
b) Are you going to read it?
c) Will you be reading it?
6. a) Ann will help us organise the party.
b) Ann will be helping us to organise the party.
7. a) We’re late. The film will already have started by the time we get to the cinema.
b) Next year they will have been married for 25 years.
8. a) The car won’t start.
b) I know he is keeping something from me but he won’t tell me anything.
Where to learn more (and works cited)

Dušková, Libuše a kol. 2006. Mluvnice současné angličtiny na pozadí češtiny. Praha: Academia.
https://mluvniceanglictiny.cz/.
Greenbaum, Sidney and Randolph Quirk. 1990. A Student’s Grammar of the English Language. Harlow: Longman.
CHAPTERS 4.7–4.19
Leech, Geoffrey. 2004. Meaning and the English Verb. 3rd ed. London/New York: Routledge. CHAPTERS 2 and 4
Swan, Michael. 2017. Practical English Usage. 4th ed. Cambdrige: Cambridge University Press. CHAPTER 4

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BMFA2 Time and Tense. Aspect (continued). Expressing Future.

Time and Tense. The System of English Tenses.

This phone belongs to me. Today, my uncle is being Napoleon.

• SPECIAL USES OF THE PROGRESSIVE

Non-past Tenses. Expressing Future Time.

(1) WILL + INFINITIVE

(2) BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE

(3) PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

The Chelsea–Arsenal match is being played next Saturday.

(4) PRESENT SIMPLE

(5) WILL + PROGRESSIVE

(6) WILL + PERFECTIVE

(7) BE ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE

Exercise 2. Classify the verb forms and explain their usage.

b) What time does the train leave tomorrow?

Where to learn more (and works cited)

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