GRAMMAR: THE USES OF PRESENT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS

GRAMMAR: THE USES OF PRESENT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS

This section focuses on a revision of the values of Present Simple and Present Continuous. We are going to have a look at the way in which these tenses, with their complementary values, can be used together in a text to form a coherent unit. But before we do that, consider a few examples and comment on the uses of the Present Simple and Continuous in them. Which of these sentences contain the basic use of the two tenses we have mentioned?

(1) The planet is rushing madly toward Earth.

(2) The alien emperor, whose head looks like an overturned mop bucket, splashes water on the professor with his iron claw and emits a squeaky yet sinister cackle.

(3) He wears a quizzical self-absorbed expression on his face

(4) Now the doors are always open and no one enters.

(5) He still sweeps out the vast auditorium.

A brief perusal of the examples above must have told you that the first sentence contains the basic use of Present Continuous, whereas the sentences under (4) and (5) encode the main meaning of Present Simple. It is assuredly no news that Present Simple expresses a general state or a repeated action at speech time, whereas Present Continuous expresses an action that takes places right as we speak. This is in fact one of the reasons why state verbs are not normally used with a continuous aspect. (For more information on this problem see Unit Six, Section Three, C)

Compare: Shes doing a lot of chat shows on TV. / She does a lot of chat shows on TV.

This pair of sentences captures the main difference of meaning between Present Simple and Present Continuous: while in the first case, the situation is temporary, restricted to speech time only, in the second case, we assume that the subjects job is that of doing chat shows on TV. This main distinction between Present Simple and Present Continuous is of an aspectual dimension, as we already know. This is however a problem for learners of Romanian, that do not identify this distinction in their mother tongue.

Exercise: Translate into English:

1. Mama lui Martin face zilnic de mancare, desi nici lui Martin si nici celorlalti membri ai familiei nu le place cum gateste. 2. De ce faci iar de mancare? Nu vezi ca mai e destula tocana in frigider? 3. Tocmai am aflat ca Jim regizeaza un film despre viata presedintelui. Tu ce parere ai despre asta? 4. Face filme despre vietile politicienilor si castiga o gramada de bani din asta. 5. Iar te uiti la televizor? Ti-am mai spus de o suta de ori sa-ti faci intai temele! 6. Fiul meu se uita la televizor seara de seara si nu lasa din mana telecomanda sa-l pici cu ceara! Schimba canalele si mananca seminte, mereu cu ochii lipiti de ecran. 7. Ce faci acolo? Iar scrii scrisori de amenintare presedintelui Televiziunii romane? 8. De cand s-a inventat e-mailul, nimeni nu mai scrie scrisori. Mi se pare foarte deprimant! 9. De cate ori scoate cainele afara, ramane la vorba in fata blocului. 10. Uite-l cum vorbeste cu prietena lui in fata blocului in timp ce eu fac si treaba lui.

Having mentioned the main difference between the present tenses under discussion, let us remember some of the other values they can have. In order to do that, we should look at the table offered below. Notice that we have chosen to place these two tenses in opposition and that the values they exhibit can be said to parallel each other:

This diagram contains three extra values beside the main value characteristic for each tense. The table is far from exhaustive, which is why students are advised to try and solve the exercises below:

EXERCISES:

1. Read the following sentences and try to identify the various uses of the present tenses:

1. Im watering the plant while hes away. 2. Hes always losing his keys. 3. I am hoping to see you soon. 4. We are looking forward to seeing you. 5. I hope to see you soon. 6. Im picking her up at six. 7. Whos posting the letters while hes away? 7. I cant come on Monday, Im babysitting. 8. Hes having a wonderful time. 9. Look, first I beat the eggs and then I add the flour. 10. Two and two make four. 11. Hes always buying her a new dress although in fact he never gets to do so. 12. I hear youve been busy. 13. Pink Satin is coming up on the rails, hes overtaking Rover Boy, but Little Nell is pulling away 14. He passes the ball to Clark, he swerves, aims and scores. 15. Bush Visits Romania. 16. This man goes to the restaurant and says: Do you serve frogs? The waiter says, Yes, so he says, Right, Ill have a coffee myself and some flies for my frog. 17. My bus leaves at three. 18. When you heat ice, it melts.

4. Put the verbs in brackets into either the Present Simple or the Present Continuous tense:

The butter (melt)! You should take it and put it in the fridge. I didnt know butter (melt) so fast.

You are forever (use) my shaving kit. Cant you buy one for yourself? You (be) terribly impolite.

I (walk) to work this week because I have managed to crash my car.

Dont forget that the exam (start) the day after tomorrow. You should rest tomorrow so you could score maximum points.

Wheres your sister? I (think) she (kiss) a boy outside.

My father is the most generous man. He always (buy) us things!

Sorry, cant make it tonight! I (have drinks) with the boys at the Lion.

They (buy) a lot of magazines because they (hope) to win the big prize.

And, sure enough, at the end of the movie Rambo (manage) to rescue the girl and (release) the prisoners.

This month I (live) in my sisters apartment while mine (get redone).

Sampras (serve) and Chang (return) but the ball (go) into the net. Game to Sampras!

5. Translate into English, paying attention to the grammar problems discussed in this section:

1.Iti construiesti casa pentru o femeie, cumperi mobila pe care a ales-o ea, Iti fixezi deprinderile cum le-a dorit ea. Toate planurile de viitor pana la moarte sunt facute pentru doi insi. A plecat de-acasa si esti necontenit ingrijorat sa nu i se intample ceva Te strapunge ca un stilet orice aluzie despre ea si esti nebun de fericire cand, dupa greutati materiale si umilinte uneori, ai izbutit sa-i faci o surpriza care sa o uimeasca de placere. Ei bine, intr-o zi vine femeia acasa si-ti spune ca toate acestea trebuie sa inceteze pana maine la ora 11.35, cand pleaca la gara. Shylock n-a avut curajul sa taie din spatele unui om viu exact livra de carne la care avea dreptul, caci stia ca asta nu se poate. Totusi femeia crede ca din aceasta simbioza sentimentala, care e iubirea, poate sa-si ia inapoi numai partea pe care a adus-o ea, fara sa faca rau restului. Nici un doctor nu are curajul sa desparta corpurile celor nascuti uniti, caci le-ar ucide pe amandoua. Cand e cu adevarat vorba de o iubire mare, daca unul dintre amanti incearca imposibilul, rezultatul este acelasi. Celalalt, barbat sau femeie, se sinucide, dar intai poate ucide. De altminteri asa e si frumos. Trebuie sa se stie ca si iubirea are riscurile ei. Ca acei care se iubesc au drept de viata si de moarte unul asupra celuilalt. (Camil Petrescu Ultima noapte de dragoste, intaia noapte de razboi

2. A, stiu eu o intamplare a lui cu o femeie din Bucuresti.

Stai, stai, ca si asta e interesanta. Intr-o zi, cand femeia era la el in garsoniera, si-l credea pe barbatu-sau plecat pentru trei zile la o conferinta diplomatica, nu stiu unde, ea se hotareste sa ramana toata noaptea la Grigoriade, dar, pentru orice intamplare, trimite acasa un plic desfacut, ca din partea celei mai bune prietene. Madeleine o chema, zice el prin care asta o roaga sa vie sa doarma la ea, ca i-e urat singura, caci barbatul ei e plecat. Si, sigura de aceasta prietena, cea mai buna a ei, nici n-o mai intreaba macar. Trimite biletul cu indicatia printr-un comisionar sa spuie cameristei sa-l puie chiar pe masuta din dormitorul ei. Catastrofa. Barbatul vine de dimineata de tot, si face un scandal imens. Pasa-mi- te, el petrecuse toata noaptea cu cea mai buna prietena a nevestii-si Femeia, uluita, prinsa in asa cursa, se stapaneste, nu spune o vorba si pleaca. Dar cand tipul vrea sa divorteze ea isi aduce aminte ca mai are o prietena, Madeline, o roaga, o implora pe ea si pe barbatul ei sa declare ca ea a scris scrisoarea si, dupa multe peripetii, izbutesc sa-l convinga si pe barbat de acest lucru, ca voia nebunul sa strice casa.

(Camil Petrescu Ultima noapte de dragoste, intaia noapte de razboi