TensesExpressing Actions in Time

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

Tenses

Past tense hoped believed punched knocked

TensesSimple form leave go eat write catch be

Past tense left went ate wrote caught

was

Tenses

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?

I walked down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill.

I was walking down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill.

Tenses: Interrupted Actions

NOW

PAST

“walk”

“felt”

NOW

PAST

“felt”

“was walking”

I was walking down the corridor when I felt a sudden chill.

“

◦ Walk” is an ongoing process◦ It is interrupted by “felt”.

Tenses: Interrupted Actions

NOW

PAST

“felt”

“Walk”

They took a long test yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon, they were taking a long test when the fire alarm rang.

Tenses: Interrupted Actions

NOW

PAST

“rang”

“were taking”

NOW

PAST

“took”

Yesterday afternoon

Yesterday afternoon

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.

Tenses: Past Progressive

NOW

PAST

“rang”

“were taking”

Yesterday afternoon

Past Progressive: Generalization

When?• Past• May or may not

have a definite time

What? • An ongoing

process• Interrupted by

another event

How? • (was or were)+<verb>+ing

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.

NOW

PAST“were taking”

“was ringing”

Past Tense: Order and Duration The red

dragon Abithriax attacked 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.

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.

Past Tense

NOW

PAST

“attack”

Last night

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 Tense

NOW

PAST

“incinerate”

“demand”

The adverb After tells us which

event happens first

Past Perfect: Generalization

When?• Past• May or may not have a definite time

What?

• A completed event• Happens before another action

• NEVER used on its own

• Shows ORDER of events

How?• (had)+<verb’s past participle>

• “already” may be used to stress it

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?

Past Tense

NOW

PAST

“muster”

“burning”

Duration: one hour

Past Perfect Progressive: Generalization

When?• Past• May or may not have a definite time, but always has a duration

What?

• An event that started in the past

• May or may not be interrupted by another action

• Shows DURATION

How?• (had been)+<verb>+ing• “already” helps, but is not part of the tense