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Hello,

Many kind thanks in advance for anyone who can answer the following questions:

1. What is the correct expression regarding what one does on the weekend:

"What do you do on the weekend?"

"What do you on weekends/on the weekends?"

2. What is the difference in the following sentences:

"The measures worked."

"The measures have worked."

My guess is the simple past tense sentence implies they have stopped working whereas the second present perfect sentence implies a result and/or they are still working.

3. Is it possible for the object of a verb in a sentence to be another verb? If so, can someone show me a simple example.

4. Finally, are the following conditional tenses correct:

Zero conditional: If you heat water, it boils.

First conditinal: If I leave now, I will catch my train.

Second conditional: I if I were to leave now, I would catch my train

Third conditional: If I had left now, I would have caught my train.

Thank you.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

1. What is the correct expression regarding what one does on the weekend:
"What do you do on the weekend?"

"What do you on weekends/on the weekends?"

All are possible. I like the underlined one best.

2. What is the difference in the following sentences:

"The measures worked." Definite past. Historical past. Opaque past. The fact that the measures worked is behind a wall that separates present from past.

"The measures have worked." Indefinite past. Transparent past. The "Diary Tense". The fact that the measures have worked makes a connection between the past and the present. This is really a tense "in the present point of view". You're saying that there is evidence in the present by which you are able to conclude that something happened in the past.

My guess is the simple past tense sentence implies they have stopped working No. The sentence only says the measures worked in the past. It does not say anything whatever about them in the present. Reading this, we are still completely ignorant about the measures as they apply to present time. You can, however, say that the measures "finished working" (reached the end of the process they participated in), which is not the same as "stopped working" (are no longer effective measures). whereas the second present perfect sentence implies a result and/or they are still working. No. They might have worked (finished working) quite some time ago. It's just that the fact that they worked is relevant to something happening in present time. You're right about a result, though.

___
Sometimes it's better not to guess.

3. Is it possible for the object of a verb in a sentence to be another verb? I don't quite understand what you're asking for. If so, can someone show me a simple example.

4. Finally, are the following conditional tenses correct:

Zero conditional: If you heat water, it boils.

First conditinal: If I leave now, I will catch my train.

Second conditional: ~~I if~~ If I were to leave now (or If I left now), I would catch my train

Third conditional: If I had left ~~now~~ then, I would have caught my train. The if clause in the third conditional applies to the past.

CJ

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