The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook - Edward Woods, Rudy Coppieters 2002
5.11. Summary
Unit five. Time, tense and aspect
Sections 149-150
At least 26 common meanings can be expressed through tense and aspect. They relate to:
• time: (a) present - (b) past - (c) future
• type of ’happening’: (1) single event - (2) state - (3) habit - (4) temporary state or event - (5) temporary habit
• a variety of other factors such as definiteness, anteriority, anticipation, etc.
Task one **
Identify the (non-modal) finite verb phrases in the following text, specifying
(a) which combination of tense and aspect category they exemplify
(b) which of the 26 meanings listed in CGE section 150 they express.
Example: Despite the recession, Americans have been spending lots of money.
→ (a) present perfect progressive
(b) 6 (= temporary habit up to present time)
Chinese Exports
During holidays or on weekends, the Lo Wu border crossing between Hong Kong and the mainland Chinese city of Shenzen resembles a churning ocean, with stranded travellers milling together in queues that stretch to the horizon. Hong Kong officials are hoping the lines will soon grow even longer. Beginning this week, the border will stay open another half hour, until midnight each night. “We’re getting complaints,” says a senior Hong Kong security official. “The guards are saying they don’t even have time to eat their meals.” (...)
For years Beijing imposed strict restrictions on travel outside its borders. Into the early 1970s, until the Cultural Revolution ended, China was virtually sealed off from the rest of the world. (.) But as levels of affluence have risen - especially in the south, where GDP levels more than doubled between 1993 and 1998 - ordinary Chinese can now afford overseas trips, at the moment the country itself is seeking a greater role in the world. Having effectively abandoned its communist identity, Beijing is encouraging its newly affluent citizens to travel abroad. (.)
Asian countries have long seen China’s 1.4 billion people as a major potential source of tourist revenues. Now they are expected to pick up the slack from more traditional moneymakers. In the last two months, Japanese tourists have virtually stopped travelling outside their country. European and American arrivals are down by almost half in some places. At the same time, in Hong Kong the number of arrivals from China has risen more than 25 per cent. That represents more than chump change: mainland Chinese spend only slightly less per day ($625) than their American counterparts ($680).
(from Newsweek, 10 December 2001, pp. 42-43)
Task two ***
Complete the sentences in the following extracts, using the most appropriate combination of tense, aspect and voice (active vs passive).
1. “When (you tell) ... Mike you (leave) ... him?”
Philippa asked.
“Next week,” I said. “When he (get) ... back from Yorkshire. You can keep it dark till then.”
“You (bet) ...,” she said. “By the way, there (be) ... one of
your Gilda Brent’s films on tomorrow, two p.m., you (be) ... at work, so (you want) ... me to video it for you?”
(adapted from Barbara Vine, The Brimstone Wedding, p. 209)
2. Acid rain, one of the greatest pollution scourges of the last decade, (rapidly reduce) ... across Britain and Europe, a new official report (reveal) ... . It (conclude) ... that the acidity of rainfall in Britain (cut) ... in half over the past 15 years and that acidified lakes in Scandinavia (begin) ... to recover in what (promise) ... to be one of the most remarkable environmental success stories on record.
(from The Independent, 30 December 2001)
3. Why (the natives of the Amazon Rainforest live) ... so long? The entire world (discover) ... the life extending and healing power of the Rainforest. Find out how you can too.
For thousands of years, the natives of the South American Rainforests (traditionally rely) ... on flowers, leaves, stems, barks and roots of various plant species. Many of these botanicals (use) ... to maintain and optimize health. (...)
“After a few months on the Amazon Rainforest herbs I (start) ... to feel the vitality of the Rainforest working in my body. I (not be) ... sick since, not even a sniffle in well over a year. I (be) ... a believer.” (K.C.)
(adapted from www.rainforest.amazon.net)
4. I (be) ... born in 1948 to parents who (be) ... absolutely devoted to each other. My sister, Janet, (be) ... two, and three more siblings (follow) ... me in quick succession - the last arriving just in time to be held by my father before he (pass) ... away. (.)
My father (be) ... a successful and talented musician, but he (spend) ... as much as he (earn) ..., so as a family we (be) ... totally unprepared for his death. It (be) ... a non-stop struggle for my mother, who (love) ... him so very much that, to this day, no other man (ever feature) ... in her life. (...)
The loss of my father, coupled with the problems I (experience) ... at school, (turn) ... me into somewhat of a rebel. I couldn’t understand why I (struggle) ... to read and write, while it (appear) ... to come naturally to everybody else. (.)
(from Woman’s Weekly, 23 October 2001, p. 12)
5. The golden age of ocean travel is back and a cruise (constitute) ... a great holiday by itself. For those who (already travel) ... extensively it (be) ... a novel and exciting experience.
Our staff (recognize) ... that cruise travel management (require) ... exceptional product knowledge. Our cruise manager Alison S. (be) ... in the travel industry for 15 years and cruising (be) ... her special interest. Please email Alison and she (put) ... together something that you (never forget) ... .
We (list) ... a small sample of the products available through cruise traveller. Please do not hesitate to let us know what your experience of cruises (be) ... . This way we can ensure that we (provide) ... our clients with the best products.
Task three ***
Rewrite the following text, turning the dialogue into indirect speech as in the following exchange:
Ronald: “How long have you been working on this building site?”
Chris: “Well, I started here two years ago but with some luck, I hope I ’ll be able to move to another job in a couple of months.” →
Ronald asked Chris how long he had been working on that building site. Chris replied that he had started there two years before but that, with some luck, he hoped he would be able to move to another job a few months later.
Vivien: Pearl, you are a social worker running a project for single mothers. Is it possible for them to keep their babies?
Pearl: Well, in some parts of my country these women are still experiencing problems. The family often can’t feed an extra mouth, but I have ear: found that if the woman and her baby get some support they are accepted into the family.
Vivien: What if they are not?
Pearl: The less fortunate women are told that there are support services at several refuges. Over two hundred single mothers have passed ear: through them since 1998 and most are coping quite well on their own now.
Vivien: I imagine that in spite of all your efforts you don’t always reach those who need to be helped most.
Pearl: Oh, you’re absolutely right. I know dozens of women who have given up their babies but I feel sure their numbers will keep going ear: down, as they have over the past few years.