§42a. There are several ways of indicating that an activity or state is incomplete, still continuing, at the moment of speaking or writing. The Present Progressive Tense is the tense most often used for this purpose. It is the tense most closely associated with present time. There may be an Adverbial of Present Time (e.g.
now, today), but this is not essential. The time may be implied.
What is she doing now? She’s mixing a cake.
The boys are playing tennis in the park.
What is the orchestra playing?
+ Sometimes called the Pluperfect Tense.
* Also called the Continuous Tenses.
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The Present Progressive Tense is used for the immediate present and also for a more general present.
Mr. Green is writing a letter now (i.e. at this moment), Mr. Green is writing another novel. (This indicates that he has
started it but has not yet finished it. It does not suggest that Mr. Green is, at this moment, sitting at his typewriter.) Cf. Mr. Green writes novels, (See § 43 a.)
Harry is playing football now,
Harry is playing in the first eleven this season. (See § 52.) Cf. Harry plays football well. (See § 43 a.)
§42b. The Simple Present Tense is sometimes used to describe an activity that is actually in progress at the moment of speaking.
Its use for this purpose is much less common than the use of the Present Progressive.
The Simple Present Tense is used for this purpose chiefly in demonstrations, descriptions, or explanations, step by step, of the various stages in a process of some kind, for example, the way to cook something, or the way in which a scientific experiment is made. This use of the Simple Present Tense, therefore, is not really different from the use of this tense for what is usual or habitual. The Simple Present Tense should never be used in classroom teaching for the demonstration of activities. I’m going to the door, I’m opening it, I’m shutting it, etc. Not: 4 I go to. the door, I open it, I shut it, etc. See § 43 a, § 49 b.
I sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. I mix them well. Then I break the eggs into a cup. If they are good, I add them to the mixture in the bowl. Then I beat the mixture thoroughly. (etc.) If we add the words Whenever I make this hind of batter, we have the use of the Simple Present Tense for what is habitual or usual,
§42c. The Simple Present Tense is also used in exclamatory sentences beginning with here and there. See § 34 c, Table No. 59.
Here he comes! Here comes the bus! There she goes! There goes the bell!
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Tf these statements were not exclamatory, the Progressive Tense would be used. Cf. He’s coming. The bus is coming. The bell is ringing.
§42 d. The verb continue (and such equivalents as go on) are used in the Simple Present Tense. As they contain in themselves the notion of continuity, it is less necessary to use the Progressive (or Continuous) Tenses.
The weather continues cold and wet. (Cf. It is still raining.) The war goes on, with all its hardships and horrors.
(Note that when go on means ‘happen’, the Progressive Tense may be used. E.g. What’s going on here?)
§ 42 e. Verbs of perception are used in the Simple Present Tense to denote an activity or state that continues.
Do you hear a strange noise? (Not A Are you hearing a strange noise?)
For further notes and examples, see §§ 53-57.
§42 f. There are numerous other verbs for which the use of the Simple Present Tense is preferred to indicate a state, condition, feeling, etc., that continues at the moment of speaking or writing.
These are listed and illustrated in examples in the article on Non- Conclusive Verbs (§§ 58-60). They are verbs that denote what is looked upon as continuing indefinitely, or unlikely to change, as in: He likes fish. He knows French.
‘The most important point to remember about the Present Pro- gressive Tense is that its use indicates an activity or state that is still incomplete but whose termination may be expected, as in:
It is raining. This is a point that should be borne in mind for all the Progressive Tenses. They indicate a continued activity or state, but not a permanent activity or state. There is always a limitation, an expectation that there was or will be an end to the activity or state. This is why these tenses are, in grammatical terminology, sometimes called the Imperfect Tenses.
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ALL-INCLUSIVE TIME
§43 a. In general statements of what was true in past time, is true now, and is likely to be true in future time, the Simple Present Tense is used.
The sun shines during the day.
Birds fly.
The River Nile rises in Central Africa, The earth moves round the sun.
Horses are animals.
Twice twe is four.
‘These are examples of what are sometimes called ‘eternal truths’.
Other general statements, not covering all time but a vague period of time extending from past to present and presumably into the future, are also made with the Simple Present,
Your sister speaks French well.
Mr. Green writes novels.
John prefers films to stage plays.
My cat likes fish.
See the article on Non-Conclusive Verbs (§§ 58-60) for other examples of the Simple Present Tense for all-inclusive time.
§43 b. The Simple Present Tense is also used for references to what may at any time be found in print by readers.
Lt says in the Bible, ‘Thou shalt not steal’,
The author of this book says that... (The book may have been written many years ago.)
I see in this week’s ‘Spectator’ that...
The newspaper says that it’s going to be cold today,
The use of the Simple Present in such cases indicates that what is referred to could be found in the past, and can be found now.
It will be possible to find it in future. Writing and print continue in existence. Thus, when we quote from letters, we use the Simple Present.
John says in this letter that he’s enjoying his holidays.
go
Compare a quotation from something heard on a radio pro- gramme.
The BBC weather report this morning said that we should have rain.
A broadcast, unlike something printed, does not continue to exist.
§43c. The Present Perfect Tense of get is used in colloquial style to indicate inclusive time. I’ve got means the same as I have.
See §§ 4b, 4e,
Has your father got a motor-car?
How many books have you got?
What long hair you've got!
PAST TIME
§44a. To indicate activities or states in the past, without in- dicating any connexion with the present, the Simple Past Tense may be used. There is often an Adverbial of Past Time in the sentence. Note, especially, the use of adverbials with ago. (See
§99 b, Table No. 80.) For the positions of these adverbials, see
§ 99d. The adverbial may indicate either a point of time (as in examples 1 to 4) or a period of time (as in examples § to 7). Or the time may be implied, or indicated by the context or situation (as in examples 8 to 10).
1. He was born in rg06.
. The First World War began in 194.
. Harry came to see me yesterday.
. I heard the news an hour ago.
. The Greens lived in Ireland during the war.
. She studied music while she was in Paris.
. Most of our cathedrals were built during the Middle Ages.
. I bought this fountain pen in London.
. Did you sleep well? (This question, asked at breakfast, ob- viously means: Did you sleep well last night?)
10, Napoleon marched his army to Moscow.
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Tf the situation or context is clear, each one of a succession of activities may be indicated by the use of the Simple Past Tense.
11. He woke at seven, got out of bed, washed, shaved, dressed.
went downstairs, had breakfast, put his overcoat on, hurried to the bus stop, and caught a bus to the station.
If the order in which two or more activities occur is not clear from the situation, the Past Perfect Tense may be needed. See
‘The Inclusive Past’, § 46.
§44b. To indicate that an activity or state was continuing at the time when another activity occurred, the Past Progressive Tense may be used.
1. When George arrived home, his sister was listening to the wire- less.
2. Where were you living when the war broke out?
3. I saw Mr. Grey while I was walking to school.
4. The boy was knocked down by a bus while he was crossing the street.
5. We were playing tennis in the garden when you telephoned.
6. Was it still raining when you came in?
7. My hat blew off while I was crossing the bridge.
8. Mary fell and broke her leg while she was skating.
9. The sun was just setting as we reached home.
10. I dropped my watch while I was winding it last night.
§44 c. If the chief interest in a past activity is not in the point or period of past time but in the activity itself, and its continuity, the Past Progressive Tense may be used. There is less interest in the completion of the activity.
1. What were you doing all morning?
2. She was listening to the wireless all evening.
3. The girls were making cakes this morning.
4. She was writing letters all afternoon.
In these examples it is the continuous nature of the activity that is made prominent by the use of the Past Progressive Tense. If the
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activity itself is the chief interest, and if the completion of the activity is also to be indicated, the Simple Past Tense is to be preferred. Thus, the examples above would be:
1. What did you do this morning?
2. She listened to the wireless yesterday evening.
3. The girls made some cakes this morning.
4. She wrote some letters in the afternoon,
The situation described below illustrates this difference.
Imagine that a friend says to you:
- ‘Did you hear about that terrible motor-car accident on the Dover Road last week?’
You might answer, using the Simple Past Tense:
‘Yes, Black told me about it.’ or,
‘Yes, I read about it in the newspaper.’
You might answer, using the Past Progressive Tense:
‘Oh, Brown was telling me about it yesterday.’ or,
“Yes, I was reading about it in the newspaper.’
The second pair of answers, in the Progressive Tense, suggests that your knowledge of the accident is not yet complete. Your friend, therefore, may give you further information. The first pair of answers, in the Simple Past Tense, suggests that your know- ledge is complete and that you have no wish to hear more about it.
§ 44 d. If we wish to indicate that two or more activities or states were continuing at the same time, and to put into prominence the continuous nature of the activities or states, the Past Progressive may be used for both or all the activities.
1. While I was sowing seeds, Harry was digging up potatoes and George was picking plums.
2. Martha was cleaning the windows and Helen was polishing the forks and spoons.
‘If the completion of the activities is the chief interest, not their 93
continuity, the Simple Past Tense is preferred. Thus, example No. 1 would be:
I sowed some seeds, Harry dug up some potatoes, and George picked plums.
§44e. For habitual and repeated activities in the past, see § 51.
§ 444. Completed activities in the past are sometimes indicated by the use of the Simple Present Tense. This is sometimes called the ‘Historic Present’, It is used to make past events appear more vivid. It is used in English much less than in some other lan- guages (e.g. French).
The messenger arrives with news of the disaster. At once prepara- tions are made to send relief to the victims of the flood. Boxes of food and bundles of clothing are loaded on to lorries, . . . The Simple Present Tense is also used in colloquial style to make a recital of past events more dramatic.
So she goes up to the policeman. ‘ There’s a burglar in my house?
she says. “Are you sure of that?’ asks the policeman. ‘Yes,’
she says. So the policeman goes to her house and starts looking for the burglar.
THE INCLUSIVE PRESENT