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Tenses Expressing Actions in Time
Tenses • 1 When I was in second year high school, something terrifying happened to my classmates. Because it was our class night, my section was spending the night on campus. Unfortunately, I had not been allowed to join the activity because I had lost my permission slip. • 2 It was at around midnight when my classmates decided to share ghost stories in the covered courts. Several of them brought chairs and sat in a circle near the middle of the courts. They were accompanied by one of the guidance counselors.
Tenses • 3 As the night went on, some of them began to notice a strange light coming from the stage. It was colored orange and came from below the stage, where there were no spotlights. This did not spook them at first, but eventually they noticed a vast shadow creeping up the wall. Although it moved slowly, the purplish-black center of the shadow seemed to churn and boil like water in a pot. As the shadow oozed across the ceiling, our guidance counselor told my classmates to begin leaving the covered courts quietly. Instead of walking, however, everyone stood up and ran screaming towards the entrance. As they ran, some of them turned to look back just in time to see the chairs they had left fly through the air, thrown by an invisible force.
Tenses • 4 Whenever I tell this story, it never fails to spook people in the audience. It serves as a ghastly reminder that we are not alone in this world, and that there exist forces beyond our understanding and control. We often try to manipulate these forces through our superstitions but we will never know if they really work, or if these beings, whatever they might be, are simply playing along to pad our egos. We let our guard down, giving them an opportunity to attack us when we least expect it.
Tenses • 5 Because of science, there are many things about our universe that we now understand. However, there is a point beyond which everything is veiled in shadow. No matter how hard we try, there are things that escape our comprehension. They exist without us having to believe in them, yet they constantly remind us that deep in our hearts, we know that they are just as real as we are.
Tenses • Which tense is heavily used in paragraphs 1-3? • Why does the tense seem to change in paragraphs 4-5?
Tenses • Simple past tense • In the past • Definite time • Regular verbs: Can be formed by adding –d or –ed. • Irregular verbs: follow their own rules. • Are best used with an indicator of time.
Tenses Simple form • hope • believe • punch • knock • Past tense • hoped • believed • punched • knocked
Tenses Past tense • left • went • ate • wrote • caught • was Simple form • leave • go • eat • write • catch • be
Tenses: Interrupted Actions • I was walking down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill. • At first I thought I was feeling tired after a long day at work, but the sound of children crying in the empty building made me start running. • I was avoiding looking behind me for fear of seeing something that did not belong in this world. • By the time I reached the safety of my car, I was quivering violently. • What do you notice about the verbs in these sentences? • How many verbs appear in each sentence?
Tenses: Interrupted Actions • I was walking down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill. • I walked down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill. • What’s the difference? • How would each appear on a timeline?
Tenses: Interrupted Actions • I walked down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill. • I was walking down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill. PAST “felt” NOW “walk” PAST “was walking” “felt” NOW
Tenses: Interrupted Actions • I was walking down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill. “ • Walk” is an ongoing process • It is interrupted by “felt”. PAST “Walk” “felt” NOW
Tenses: Interrupted Actions • They took a long test yesterday afternoon. • Yesterday afternoon, they were taking a long test when the fire alarm rang. Yesterday afternoon PAST NOW “took” Yesterday afternoon PAST “were taking” “rang” NOW
Tenses: Past Progressive • Yesterday afternoon, they were taking a long test when the fire alarm rang. • The action of taking the test is interrupted by the ringing of the bell. • Both happen in the afternoon. Yesterday afternoon PAST “were taking” “rang” NOW
Past Progressive: Generalization • While they were taking the test, the fire alarm rang. • While here introduces the ongoing process. • They were taking the test when the fire alarm rang. • When is used to introduce the INTERRUPTING action. • They were taking the test while the fire alarm was ringing. “were taking” PAST “was ringing” NOW
Past Tense: Order and Duration • The red dragon Abithriaxattacked the city last night.
Past Tense: Order and Duration • The city had been burning for an hour before the soldiers mustered the courage to fight back.
Past Tense: Order and Duration • Since her army had been defeated by the dragon, Jeanne ordered a hasty retreat.
Past Tense: Order and Duration • After he had incinerated the guards, Abithriax demanded tribute from the surviving townsfolk.
Past Tense: Order and Duration • The dragon had already been ruling the city for three decades by the time Jeanne decided to challenge him.
Past Tense • The red dragon Abithriax attacked the city last night. • The city had been burning for an hour before the soldiers mustered the courage to fight back. • Since her army had been defeated by the dragon, Jeanne ordered a hasty retreat. • After he had incinerated the guards, Abithriax demanded tribute from the surviving townsfolk. • The dragon had already been ruling the city for three decades by the time Jeanne decided to challenge him. • What do you notice about the tenses in these sentences?
Past Tense • The red dragon Abithriax attacked the city last night. Last night PAST NOW “attack”
The adverb After tells us which event happens first Past Tense • After he had incinerated the guards, Abithriax demanded tribute from the surviving townsfolk. • How many events are there? • How do we know which event comes first? • Why is this event called “perfect”? • Is Abithriax still in the process of incinerating by the time he demands tribute? PAST NOW “incinerate” “demand”
Past Tense • The city had been burning for an hour before the soldiers mustered the courage to fight back. • How many events are there? • What does the tense seem to stress? Duration: one hour PAST “burning” NOW “muster”
