2015-03-27
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The Present Indefinite is used to denote:
1. Customary, repeated actions. This is its most characteristic use.
The Browns go to the seaside every summer.
The repeated character of the action is often shown by adverbials such as every day, often, usually, etc.
2. Actions and states characterizing a given person.
She has many accomplishments: she sings and plays the piano beautifully.
3. Universal truths, something which is eternally true.
Magnet attracts iron.
The earth rotates round its axis.
4. Actions going on at the present moment (with verbs not used in the Continuous form).
I see George in the street. Tell him to come in.
I hear somebody knock. Go and open the door.
5. A future action:
(a) in adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions when, till, until, before, after, as soon as, as long as, if, unless, on condition that, provided.
...Robert, will you mend me a pen or two before you go? (Ch. Bronte)
I promise not to try to see Robert again tillhe asks for me. (Ch. Bronte)
N o t e. — It should be borne in mind that this use of the Present Indefinite
occurs only in adverbial clauses of time and condition. In object and
attributive clauses introduced by when the Future Indefinite is used.
I wonder when he will give us an answer.
We are impatiently awaiting the day when our friends will return from their
long journey.
(b) with verbs of motion, such as to go, to come, to leave etc. The future action is regarded as something fixed.
The train leaves at 10 tomorrow.
We find the same phenomenon in Russian.
Он уезжает завтра.
В следующее воскресенье мы идем в театр.
THE PAST INDEFINITE
The formation of the Past Indefinite.
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1. The Past Indefinite is formed by adding ‑ed or ‑d to the stem (regular verbs), or by changing the root vowel, or in some other ways (irregular verbs).
(For detailed treatment see The Verb, § 3.)
2. The interrogative and the negative forms are formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to do (did) and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.
| Affirmative | Interrogative | Negative |
| I worked (wrote) He worked (wrote) She worked (wrote) We worked (wrote) You worked (wrote) They worked (wrote) | Did I work (write)? Did he work (write)? Did she work (write)? Did we work (write)? Did you work (write)? Did they work (write)? | I did not work (write) He did not work (write) She did not work (write) We did not work (write) You did not work (write) They did not work (write) |
3. The contracted negative forms are:
I didn’t work
She didn’t work
4. The negative-interrogative forms are:
{Did you not work?
Didn’t you work?
