The Advanced Grammar Book - Jocelyn Steer, Karen Carlisi 1998

Chapter 2 A Quick Review

The next three chapters will present information about and practice in using verb tenses. Some sections may be a review for you, and others may be new and challenging. After studying each verb tense individually, you will have a chance to put everything you have learned together. The sequence is as follows:

Chapter 2: Overview of the Verb Tense System; The Simple Tenses

Chapter 3: The Perfect Tenses

Chapter 4: The Progressive Tenses; Integration of Tenses

Objectives

In this chapter you will:

1. Review forming the simple present, past, and future;

2. Practice using time words with these tenses;

3. Review forming irregular verbs.

Preview

People have always told me that I am an adaptable person. However, when I came to the United States to study, I found out that I am not as adaptable as I seem. I had already studied six years of English before I left my country, Indonesia. I had been studying conversational English with an American teacher for about a year before I left. So I really didn’t expect to have any problems communicating with Americans. I thought to myself, “I will just go to my classes and learn everything I can. Then by the time the TOEFL test arrives, I will have learned everything I need to get 550 on the TOEFL. I’ll enter the local university for my M.B.A.”

Well, I really wasn’t ready for my first months here. At the first orientation meeting at the English school, the Americans were talking to me so fast that all I. did was smile and nod. I still don’t know what they said to me! I had more surprises—my accent was hard to understand, I didn’t like the American food at the cafeteria, the pace in the city was too fast. But the biggest surprise was my progress in English. I didn’t get into that university right away.

I’m still studying English. In fact, I’ve been studying for two semesters now. If all goes as planned, I’ll be entering the M.B.A. program next semester. I’ll have been living in the United States for an entire year by then. I am able to understand just about everything, and most people understand me. But guess what? I’m still not used to American food!

There are three basic times in English: present, past, and future. Each of these times combines with an aspect: simple, perfect, and progressive. The chapters that follow will explain these aspects in detail.

Before you learn about the more precise meanings and uses of the times and aspects, it is important to learn the names of the verb tenses. The names of the tenses are created by combining the time and the aspect expressed in a specific tense. Consider the verb in the sentence, / was eating. The time expressed is past (was) and the aspect expressed is progressive. (You know this because the verb has an -ing ending.) Therefore, the name of this verb tense is past progressive.

The chart below summarizes all twelve verb tenses. To read the chart, choose the time (at the top) and combine it with the aspect (on the sides). For example, the past progressive tense is / was eating.

Focus ON GRAMMAR

In order to gain the most from the chapters on verb tenses that follow, it is very important that you know the names of all the verb forms. Use the above chart to help you to identify all the verb forms in the previous passage written by an Indonesian student living in the United States. Underline the verbs in the passage and label them from the list below:

simple present   simple past   simple future

present perfect   past perfect   future perfect

present progressive  past progressive  future progressive

present perfect progressive     past perfect progressive future perfect      progressive

Grammatical Patterns Part One

1. Overview of the Simple Present and Simple Past Tenses

The information in this section is probably not new for you. Review the following chart and then move on to the sections that follow. They will highlight some of the persistent problems that even advanced learners of English may still have with the simple present and past tenses.

II. Special Problem One: Time Words and the Simple Present

Adverbs of frequency are time words that answer the question “How often?” Students often have difficulty with the placement of time words because they can occur in three positions in a sentence: at the beginning (initial position), in the middle, or at the end (final position). Study the following chart, which summarizes this information.

2.1 Paired Activity: Time Words

DIRECTIONS: Work with a partner and discuss how you act in different social situations. Describe yourself and your actions using the following time words: usually, rarely, sometimes, often.

Example

ANSWER: I am rarely quiet at a party. I always talk to people.

2.2 Rapid Drill: Negative Adverbs in Initial Position

Directions: Restate the following sentences, beginning each with the negative adverb found in the sentence.

Example

SENTENCE: John rarely goes out on Saturday night.

ANSWER: Rarely does John go out on Saturday night.

1. Guillermo rarely goes to the cinema anymore since the tickets are so expensive.

2. I never entertain in my home—I Just don’t have the time!

3. Loretta seldom goes to a disco since the music is so loud.

4. My parents never go to a rock concert; they prefer the symphony.

5. Jose’s grandparents rarely sit through an entire concert without falling asleep.

6. Gladys never rents videos because she prefers to go to movie theaters.

7. Mr. and Mrs. Dupont hardly ever attend the Hollywood parties which they are invited to.

8. Construct your own sentences using rarely, seldom, never.

2.3 Error Analysis: Time Words

DIRECTIONS: Find any errors in the use of adverbs in the following sentences. Correct the error clearly above the sentence.

1. Usually do I drink a beer.

2. We often organize at night barbecues around the swimming pool.

3. Never I stay at home to do my homework when I can go out with my friends.

4. My boyfriend is every day at my house.

5. Rarely the recreational facilities at this institution are fully utilized.

6. My roommate goes often to the Hard Rock Cafe.

7. Always I stay out late on Saturday night, but never do I do that on weeknights.

8. My friend invites often her class to her house for parties.

9. My sister throws lavish parties always on the 4th of July.

10. Seldom I have gone to nightclubs in my city.

III. Special Problem Two: Irregular Verbs

Some verbs are not regular in their past and past participle forms. Refer to the list of these verbs in Appendix A on page 411. Make a note of the verbs you still don’t know and practice them regularly until you do.

A. Possible Spelling Patterns for Irregular Verbs

There are no exact rules for forming irregular verbs, but many of the verbs follow similar patterns. These are outlined below. Keep these patterns in mind when you are studying the verbs.

2.4 Paired Drill: Irregular Verbs

Directions: Work in pairs. Have your partner cover up the past and past participle columns of the list of irregular verbs in Appendix A on pages 411-414. Choose any fifteen verbs and test your partner’s knowledge of the irregular forms. Then switch roles. Keep a list of the verbs your partner needs to study and then test him or her again in the next class.

2.5 Crossword Puzzle: All Irregular Verbs

DIRECTIONS: Complete the crossword puzzle by using the appropriate forms of the irregular verbs from the list in the appendix.

Across Clues

1. After she stopped smoking, Gloria ... she would never smoke another cigarette in her life.

3. The small wound ... profusely.

4. Maria was excited because she had been ... for the “Student of the Year” award.

6. The hurricane ... through Miami and knocked down all the trees.

9. Will the baseball game be ... on national

television?

11. I was ... three aces in my poker game yesterday.

13. The criminal was ... in the public square for all to see.

14. The car went over the bridge and ... into the river.

16. The telephone rang before John ... up his coat.

17. The car slid on the ice and ... around three times.

18. The waiter ... the woman’s cigarette.

Down Clues

2. Have you ever ... a camel?

4. The soldier ... carefully through the forest to avoid being seen by the enemy.

5. Have you ... the dog yet? He must be hungry.

7. Someone had ... a caricature of the disliked teacher on the board.

8. To make flatbread you need to ... the wheat berries into a fine powder.

10. David ... out of his chair when he saw his old girlfriend.

12. The baseball had been ... so hard, it went into the outfield.

15. Daniel ... the cake into two pieces and offered one to his mother.

IV. Future Forms

Note the different ways in which the future may be formed and used.

*ShaII can replace will here, but this is more common in British English. (I shall meet you there.) In American English, shall is usually used as an invitation or suggestion, as in, “Shall we dance?” or in tag questions, “Let’s go, shall we?”

2.6 Oral Activity: Future Forms

DIRECTIONS: Choose two or three of the following topics that you would like to respond to by using an appropriate form of the future. Be ready to respond orally when asked by your teacher.

1. Make a prediction about your life in ten years.

2. Tell the class about your weekend plans.

3. Offer to help your teacher with some aspect of the class.

4. Make a prediction about the next music trend.

5. Ask your neighbor about his or her plans for this evening.

6. Answer that question.

7. Try to guess about the activities and content of your next English class.

8. Offer to take your teacher out to a nice restaurant.

9. Make a promise about coming to class on time and doing all the homework.

10. Make a promise to the class about a future party.

2.7 Written Drill: Be Going To or Will?

DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks with be going to + verb or will + verb, depending on the meaning of the sentence. Indicate when both forms are possible.

1. According to all the forecasts from this year’s food critics, restaurants serving low-fat entrees (continue) ... to do well. They also predict that low-fat Mexican restaurants (grow) ... in popularity. The expensive, “nouvelle cuisine” food that was so popular among yuppies in the 1980s (lose) ... many customers since people prefer not to spend so much money on so little food.

2. Coffee bars have proliferated in the United States during the past five years. The famous Seattle chain, Starbucks, has become a trendy meeting place for many people. It’s not uncommon for people to say, “I (meet) ... you at Starbucks in half an hour.” In addition, the servers are extremely congenial. They (prepare) ... your coffee drink just the way you want it—with nonfat milk, with decaffeinated coffee, with a double shot of espresso. Starbucks is expanding; in fact they (open) ... six new shops in my city this year. I think I (talk) ... to my financial broker today about buying some stock in that company!

2.8 Written Drill: All Forms

DIRECTIONS: Circle any correct answer. Each item may have one, two, three, or four correct answers.

1. It ... tomorrow.

a. will rain     c. is raining

b. is going to rain    d. rains

2. “Mr. Williams ... up his wife at 3:00 later this afternoon. He won’t be back in the office after that. Shall I have him call you tomorrow?” the secretary told the caller.

a. will pick     c. is picking

b. is going to pick    d. picks

3. I’m sorry that 1 can’t stay longer at this meeting, but my child’s play ... in one hour. I can’t miss that!

a. will start     c. is starting

b. is going to start    d. starts

4. “I ... your exams tomorrow,” the teacher said. “I promise!”

a. will return     c. am returning

b. am going to return    d. return

5. “Do you have any toothpaste left?” asked John. “No, but I ... some for you when I go downtown,” Kim said.

a. will get     c. am getting

b. am going to get    d. get

Focus on Writing

Spelling Rules

Students sometimes have difficulty with the spelling of present and past verbs. Some of these trouble spots are outlined below.

2.9 Editing Activity: Simple Present

DIRECTIONS: Edit the following paragraphs for spelling, subject-verb agreement, and time word placement. Don’t forget the -s on third person singular!

1. Mrs. Nelson Whitney will be hosting her annual Charity Ball on Friday. She organize every year this event to benefit the Children’s Hospital. Usually the ball is held in the Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel. Rarely less than 400 people attends the event since it is considered to be the social event of the season. Last year, Mrs. Whitney postponed the event due to the untimely death of the mayor. Let’s all hope it happen this year.

2. Mindy wanted to know what it would feel like to “free fall” from 8500 feet, so she tryed “tandem jumping.” She was tied to a harness, and straped to the instructor’s chest. They went up in a small airplane and then got releassed into the air. She said that it was something like being on a roller coaster and her stomach felt compresed into a tiny metal ball during the first 20 seconds. Then when she rememberred to arch her back as she had been told by the teacher, she began to feel as though she were flying. After the teacher pulled the parachute, they floatted through the air, weightless, until they landed on a dirt mound. Tandem jumping is not cheap; it usually cost about $200 per trip.

Compоsition Topics

1. Describe a place at your school (or in your city) where you go to be by yourself. What does it look like? Why do you like that place? Provide enough details so the person reading your description can visualize that place clearly.

2. In the United States, sports fans eagerly await the biggest football event of the year—the Super Bowl. People have parties or go to restaurants with big-screen televisions to watch the game. Describe a similar sporting event which you have enjoyed. Use details to make the event come alive to your readers.

3. Students eagerly await their “breaks” from school. What are your plans for the next school break? Describe what you will do, where you may go, and so on.