VERB TENSES Simple Present Tense vs Present Progressive

VERB TENSES Simple Present Tense vs. Present Progressive Tense

Present Tense Time Frame: the Four Tenses 1. Simple present 現在簡單式 2. Present progressive 現在進行式 3. Present perfect 現在完成式 4. Present perfect progressive 現在完成進行式 GRAMMAR She works. She is working. She has worked. She has been working.

Simple Present Tense Use 1: Timeless Facts and General Truths The earth revolves around the sun. 地球繞著太陽轉。

Simple Present Tense Use 2: Regular or Habitual Actions in the Present • In Chinese, regular or habitual actions may be indicated with 「會」, and students often translate this word into English as will. • When 會 indicates a regular or habitual action in the present, it is best to translate it as the simple present tense—in other words, don’t translate it! • Chinese: • English (Poor): • English (Improved): 他每天晚上都會出去。 He will go out every night. He goes out every night.

Simple Present Tense Use 2: Regular or Habitual Actions in the Present CHINESE-TO-ENGLISH TRANSLATION CHINESE: 我每一次想到這件事, 就會覺得裡很痛苦。 CHINESE ENGLISH: Every time when I think of this, I will feel painful. IMPROVED TRANSLATION: It is (always) painful for me to think about this. MORE COMMON PATTERNS IN NATIVE SPEECH: Thinking about this is very painful for me. /This is a very painful memory for me. USAGE NOTE: pain/painful Things are painful. / People feel pain. Something is painful for me. / It is painful for me to….

Simple Present Tense Use 2: Regular or Habitual Actions in the Present USE SIMPLE PRESENT TO TALK ABOUT “HOW OFTEN? ” • a few times a day • all the time • almost always • almost never • always • at times • constantly • continuously • daily • every hour • every Monday • every month • every night • every now and then • every week • every year • frequently • generally • hardly ever • hourly • many times a day • monthly • nearly always • never • normally • not often • now and then • • • • occasionally often once in a while quite often rarely regularly seldom sometimes three times a week twice a month usually very often weekly yearly

TIPS ON TALKING ABOUT how often • Use the simple present; don’t translate 會 as will • Remember that the English word order for rates is reversed from the Chinese order. TRANSLATE: 一天一次 once a day twice a day/ two times a day 一天一次 一天三次 three times a day 每兩周一次 once every two weeks/ every other week • Americans seldom say seldom in conversation. Learn to say “I don’t VERB very often” or “I hardly ever VERB”…

How often do you… • …. call your parents? • …have a meal with your parents? • …eat ice cream? • …look at Facebook? • … have your teeth cleaned by a dentist? • …go to Taipei? • …watch a movie? • …play online games?

Simple Present vs. Present Progressive 現在簡單式 用來描述不斷重覆的活動或 習慣及一些正確無誤的事實。 Ex. Do you work every Saturday afternoon? It rains a lot in Taiwan in April and May. 用來描述長久不變的情況。 Ex. I always sleep eight hours every night. 現在進行式 用來描述在說話之際 或目前 正在進行的事情。 Ex. Are you working now? Don’t forget your umbrella when you go out. It’s raining outside. 用來描述目前或暫時的情況。 Ex. I’m sleeping on a sofa these days because my bed is broken.

In Chinese, 正在, 在, and V-着 often indicate the present progressive tense in English: 他在看書。 He’s reading. 我們正在排練。 We’re rehearsing. 她專心地看著那張畫。 She’s looking intently at the painting.

In many cases, however, you may need present progressive tense when these words do not occur in the Chinese! 有人找你。 Someone looks for you. (as a general rule) Someone is looking for you. (right now) 你為什麼坐在的位子上? Why do you sit in my seat? (as a general rule) Why are you sitting in my seat? (right now)

Simple Present vs. Present Progressive Translation Practice If the Chinese sentence describes the picture at the right, which verb tense is correct? The flag flutters in the wind (as a general rule). The flag is fluttering in the wind (now). 旗幟在風中飄動。 When you are describing a picture, most of the action verbs should be in the present progressive tense…

Time Markers Present Tense Present Progressive every… , whenever…. 每… , 每當… now, right now 現在 every day 每天 today 今天 every week 每週 this week 本星期 every month 每月 this month 這個月 every year 每年 this year 今年 every semester 每學期 this semester 這個學期 usually at present 平常 目前 These time words may require other verb tenses, but they only occur with the present simple tense if the verbs are stative verbs. It’s natural to think that a time marker like this semester indicates the simple present, but this semester means “the semester we are in right now—not every semester in general”… so Chinese: 你這個學期修了哪些課？ English (Incorrect): What courses do you take this semester? English (Correct): What courses are you taking this semester?

These verbs do not generally use the present progressive tense 不用於進行式的動詞 1. 描述思想的動詞: think(相信), believe, understand, know, see( 明白), recognize, suppose, remember, imagine, forget, realize 2. 描述感覺的動詞: like, dislike, hate, love, prefer, want, wish 3. 描述感官的動詞: see, hear, smell, taste, sound have(擁有), own, belong, owe, need, include, cost, contain, consist, weigh, seem, deserve, depend, be 4. 其他動詞:

Of course, native speakers don’t always follow the rules…

The BE verb in present progressive tense S + am/is/are + 形容詞 表示一種狀態性的意義 Ex. : Sue is sick today. John is nervous about the exam. S + am/is/are + being + 形容詞 表示一種暫時的、正在進行中的行為 Ex. Jack doesn’t feel well, but he refuses to see a doctor. He is being foolish. Mary is being very quiet today. I wonder if anything is wrong.

Translating 越來越 + Adjective Students usually translate “越來越 + Adjective” as “BE + more and more + Adjective. ” Although this pattern may sometimes be acceptable, it often sounds like children’s English. More natural patterns are: 1. BE+ becoming/ getting more [and more] Adjective [all the time]. 2. BE+ becoming/ getting increasingly + Adjective. Chinese: English (Poor): English (Incorrect): English (Correct): 這個問題越來越嚴重。 The problem is more and more serious. The problem becomes more and more serious. The problem is becoming more and more serious [all the time]. The problem is [becoming] increasingly serious.

Translating 越來越 + Adjective (cont’d. ) If a time period is mentioned or implied (for instance, over the last ten years), the present perfect or the present perfect progressive may be the best verb tense to use: Chinese: English (Correct): 這幾年，這個問題越來越嚴重。 In recent years, the problem has become more serious. In recent years, the problem has been getting more serious. (Note: The present perfect progressive of become—has/ have been becoming--sounds awkward and is not often used. )

Translation of越來越多 Chinese: English (Incorrect): English (Correct): 問題越來越多。 The problems are more and more. There are more and more problems. Patterns: There is more and more (UC noun). There are more and more (C noun)s. The number of (C noun)s is increasing/ is on the rise.

SIMPLE PRESENT VS. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Translation Practice 1. 她平常的穿著很像男 孩子，但今天卻穿了 一件粉紅色的洋裝。 She usually dresses like a boy, but today she is wearing a pink dress.

Note: Translating 穿 to dress: In general, dress is used without an object (“She dresses very fashionably. ”/ “The twins always dress alike) You can dress a person (for instance, a baby) but you can’t dress a piece of clothing. On the other hand, you can get dressed. You can also be dressed in a piece of clothing… to wear: needs a piece of clothing as an object (“She is wearing a purple jacket. ”) to put on: 穿上(衣服). Needs a piece of clothing as an object. (“You should put on a jacket. ”)

SIMPLE PRESENT VS. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Translation Practice 2. 不管走到哪兒，我都隨身帶著一張父母的照片。 Wherever I go, I always carry a photo of my parents with me. 3. 這個學期我修了30 個學分，幾乎沒時吃飯。 This semester, I’m taking 30 credits—I hardly have time to eat. 4. 嘿，水滾了，你現在可以泡茶了。 Hey, the water’s boiling—you can make tea now. 5. 怎麼一回事? 那些人在街上 吵鬧著什麼? What’s going on? What are those people in the street making such a commotion for?

SIMPLE PRESENT VS. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Translation Practice 6. 我看不到講者，有人的頭擋到我的視線了。 I can’t see the speaker—someone’s head is blocking my view. 7. 你怎麼瘸著走路呢? 你的腳會痛麼? Why are you limping? Does your foot hurt? 8. 布朗先生通常九點後才進辦公室。 Mr. Brown doesn’t usually come into the office until 9 o’clock.

Note: Translating 才in a Time Sequence • If 才 shows a time sequence, the best translation is usually, not… until. However, the order of the clauses is reversed. Chinese: S₁ V₁ 才 S₂ V₂ English: S₂ not V₂ until S₁ V₁ • 我小時候，要寫完作業才可以看電視 When I was a child, I couldn’t watch television until I finished my homework. • 我昨天凌晨 3點才到家。 Last night, I didn’t go home until 3 a. m.

SIMPLE PRESENT VS. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Translation Practice 9. 你今天為甚什嗎坐前排? 你通常都坐後排的。 Why are you sitting in the front row today? You usually sit in the back row. 10. 老師都會注意到坐前排的學生。 Teachers always notice the students who sit [are sitting] in the front row. 11. 每次我吃蝦子都會過敏。 I have an allergic reaction whenever I eat shrimp. 12. 百貨公司今天大排賣。 The department store is having a big sale today. There’s a big sale at the department store today.

SIMPLE PRESENT VS. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Translation Practice 13. 不要回頭~ 有個怪傢伙正盯著你看。 Don’t turn your head—a strange guy is staring at you. 14. 我覺得很丟臉！我是這裡唯一沒帶領帶的人。 I feel so embarrassed—I’m the only person here who isn’t wearing a tie. 15. 不要收騙~他只裝睡。他不想 作就裝睡。 Don’t be fooled—he’s only pretending to be asleep. He always pretends to be asleep when he doesn’t want to work. 16. 他的英語說得越來越流利了。 His English is becoming more and more fluent. He’s speaking English more and more fluently.

SIMPLE PRESENT VS. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Translation Practice 17. 我們考慮搬往西雅圖。 We’re thinking about moving to Seattle. 18. 這汽車在漏油。 The car is leaking oil. 19. 水龍頭在漏水。 The faucet is dripping. 20. 小心~前面有人開錯方向，朝著我們來了。 Be careful—there’s someone driving the wrong way up ahead and he’s coming toward us.

SIMPLE PRESENT VS. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE Translation Practice 21. 她今天戴著一個金戒指。 She’s wearing a gold ring today. 22. 台灣冬天的空氣品質越來越差。 The air quality in the winter in Taiwan is getting worse. 23. 不好意思，你坐到我的外套了。 Excuse me—you’re sitting on my jacket. 24. 當我難過時，就打電話給我最好的朋友了。 When I’m upset, I call my best friend.