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Present meanings. UE 118
Some of the grammar I will be explaining will be easy for you, but other parts will be quite difficult.
Verbs - Simple forms and BE + ING
What is he looking for ?
In the next few classes we are going to look at simple forms of the verb, and forms with BE + ING.
Almost all verbs can be used in these two forms, and the difficulty is knowing which to use.
Look carefully at all these examples.
Simple form Form with BE +ING
I teach British history. I’m teaching British history
They left in a hurry. They were leaving but I called them back.
The police investigate complaints. The police are investigating the complaint.
He mostly reads thrillers. He’s reading a really good thriller by Patricia Cornwell.
Rooms are cleaned every morning. Your room is being cleaned, I’m afraid.
We must go now. We must be going now.
The president announced more aid.
The president was announcing more aid when critics interrupted him.
She’s painted the living room. She’s been painting the living room.
Here are two very simple exercises on forming the tenses with BE + ING
Sometimes people call the forms on the right “continuous tenses”. It is not really a very useful description but it is traditional. So people talk about “the present continuous” (I am writing.), the “past continuous” (They were watching.) and so on.
At University level we prefer to talk about “forms with BE + ING”. This is because many of the meanings of these forms are not in any way “Continuous”.
BE +ING is what we call an “aspect”. We will be looking at another aspect ( HAVE + EN) in later classes.
An aspect is a way of looking at an action or event.
BE +ING generally is used to look at the action “while it is happening”.
On dit en français “traiter l’évènement au cours de son déroulement”.
This is quite complex idea, and some of the choices between «simple tenses» and «BE + ING» will take you some time to perfect.
Sometimes this distinction is easy to see.
I can’t come now, I’m eating.
Je ne peux pas venir pour l’instant. Je mange.
In this case it is very clear that the eating is being talked about “while it is happening”.
The eating
1) has begun and
2) has not finished.
We sometimes consider it as similar to “Je suis en train de manger.” This is probably exaggerating a little, but it makes clear the aspect.
But other cases are much more complex. If we want to talk about a plan for next Tuesday, we might ask someone “What are you doing next Tuesday?”
Obviously this doesn’t not translate as *Qu’es-tu en train de faire mardi prochain
Which would be rather ridiculous.
If BE +ING is used to look at an action “while it is happening”; the simple forms (the forms on the left above) are used to look at an action “in general”.
Present meanings.
As you probably know there are two commonly used present forms.
The «Present simple» (It is not simple, but its form is simple:
I watch too much TV.
Mike works at Head office.
Dogs love Christmas.
Firmware is not the same as hardware.
And the present with BE + ING (people use to call this «the present continuous» which is not a very descriptive name.
I’m working too hard these day.
She’s helping her colleagues.
The wifi signal is not getting through.
They’re looking for the suspect.
Each of these forms is used in specific cases. Today we’re going to look at four of the most common meanings.
a) HABITS
Used for actions which are
1. In the present period and
2. Regular or repeated actions.
In January, we organize training courses for the year.
He always complains whatever you say.
Website design causes us a lot of problems.
On Fridays, we finish half an hour earlier.
Do you smoke?
b) GENERAL TRUTH
We use the simple present for something which the speaker considers to be true always and everywhere.
Banks lend out money for interest.
Travel broadens the mind.
Do RSS feeds require broadband?
Does «liquidity» mean cash?
Children don’t see death as adults do.
Don’t they? Absolutely not.
c) INFORMAL STORIES
The simple present is occasionally used to tell a story in the past. THis is much less common than in French. For example in French you can say «La guerre commence en 1870 et dure trois ans.»
This is impossible in English, where you are obliged to use the preterite: «The war began in 1870 and lasted three years.»
However, for informal stories, like jokes, we do use the present:
A man goes into a pub and says «Excuse me, do you have dogs in here?»
Certainly, Sir, says the barman, «with chips or with rice?».
d)- Présent à valeur performative
Ex: I declare the meeting open
Performatif: dire la chose signifie la faire (ex: promise, swear, refuse, accept, allow, thank, etc…)
I promise I will pay you back soon.
The present with be + ING is quite different. It is used for
1 Temporary present action.
Used for actions which are
1 Happening around now and
2 Seen as temporary
We’re working on a new project.
I’m afraid he’s not here - he’s having lunch.
The final touches are being completed for our new software package.
I’m not working in the saled department any more.
I’m researching into the history of music-hall.
Where are you staying while you’re here on holiday?
The problem is being dealt with by Head Office.
Ex: He's working (at the moment)
La forme be+ing sert à exprimer une action en cours lorsque l'énonciateur s'exprime. Parfois, le repère n'est pas explicite, notamment dans les dialogues.
Dans le même ordre d'idée, le présent continu peut exprimer une forme d'habitude.
Ex: He's drinking a lot these days
Cette forme est très différente de celle qui utilise le présent simple. On rajoute "these days ce qui signifie que cette caractéristique du sujet n'est valable que sur un certain intervalle s'étendant de "Lately" au moment où l'énonciateur s'exprime. De même:
Ex: I'm being nice.
She’s being difficult.
Cette phrase signifie en gros "Je me montre sympa". "I am nice" voudrait dire "Je suis sympa", "I'm being nice" serait plutôt "En général je ne le suis pas mais en ce moment, je me montre sympa".
2 Expression d'un point de vue
Ex: You are not taking this!
You’re not having chocolate before your dinner.
You’re not having friends round staying the night when I’m not here. You’re too young.
La forme be+ing souligne la négation et donc le point de vue de l'énonciateur.
The form Present with BE + ING is also used to express some FUTURE MEANINGS,