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Shakusky Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Tenses
What would you say to a student who asked you the difference in meaning between these pair of sentences? Identify the verb form and explain the difference in meaning.?
a.
He's always combing his hair. - Present Continuous?
He always combs his hair. - Present Simple?
b.
She speaks Spanish. - Present Simple?
She's speaking Spanish. - Present Continuous?
c.
I had breakfast this morning. - Past Simple?
I've had breakfast this morning. - Present Perfect Simple?
d.
She stopped to listen to the music. (?)
She stopped listening to the music. (?)
I'm not sure how to explain the difference between each. Also if you find that i've given them the wrong verb form, feel free to correct me.
a.
He's always combing his hair. - Present Continuous?
He always combs his hair. - Present Simple?
b.
She speaks Spanish. - Present Simple?
She's speaking Spanish. - Present Continuous?
c.
I had breakfast this morning. - Past Simple?
I've had breakfast this morning. - Present Perfect Simple?
d.
She stopped to listen to the music. (?)
She stopped listening to the music. (?)
I'm not sure how to explain the difference between each. Also if you find that i've given them the wrong verb form, feel free to correct me.
Top answer
a. He's always combing his hair - The present continuous. suggests that this is something that is going on virtually all the time.
- a.
- He's always combing his hair - The present continuous.
- suggests that this is something that is going on virtually all the time.
- It may well convey a sense of disapproval or mockery.
- He always combs his hair - The present simple is not particularly natural in a stand-alone sentence.
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11 Answers
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a. He's always combing his hair - The present continuous. suggests that this is something that is going on virtually all the time. It may well convey a sense of disapproval or mockery.
He always combs his hair - The present simple is not particularly natural in a stand-alone sentence. If it were followed by, for example, before he goes out, the it simply refers to a
He always combs his hair - The present simple is not particularly natural in a stand-alone sentence. If it were followed by, for example, before he goes out, the it simply refers to a
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shakusky1. She stopped to listen to the music. 2. She stopped listening to the music.1. She stopped what she was doing and listened to the music.
2. She turned off the radio. She was tired of hearing the music.
CJ
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shakusky1. I had breakfast this morning. 2. I've had breakfast this morning.1. Past (simple). 2. Present perfect.
This is the poster child for inexplicable differences in the meanings of those two tenses. I'd just tell students the sentences have the same basic meaning and if it really makes a difference to them (which it won't) say that after yo
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CalifJim
Wonderful answers, thank you so much! You've really cleared that up. I'd just like to clarify these two though in terms of verb forms:
She stopped to listen to the music - Past Simple ?
She stopped listening to the music - Past Perfect Continuous ?
that's just my stab in the dark. v. confused
Wonderful answers, thank you so much! You've really cleared that up. I'd just like to clarify these two though in terms of verb forms:
She stopped to listen to the music - Past Simple ?
She stopped listening to the music - Past Perfect Continuous ?
that's just my stab in the dark. v. confused
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sorry about that Aspara Gus, wasn't sure which category I should put it under. won't happen again!
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shakusky1. She stopped to listen to the music. 2. She stopped listening to the music.1. Past (simple). 2. Past (simple).
'stop' is a catenative verb. That means it's used together with another verb (which follows it). In this case the extra verb is 'listen'.
The extra verb goes in a non-finite clause, meaning it has no tense
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She stopped to listen to the music.
I see this as an adjunct of purpose (= “in order to listen to the music”) rather than a catenative complement governed by the matrix verb.
I see this as an adjunct of purpose (= “in order to listen to the music”) rather than a catenative complement governed by the matrix verb.
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