English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
USING TENSES APPROPRIATELY
PAST TENSE:
The past tense performs three major functions:
- It expresses a past action:
I ate yam yesterday. - It is used to express politeness:
Can you please step out (grammatical; less polite)?
Could you please step out (grammatical; more polite). - It is also used to express hypothetical past (subjunctive):
It’s time we go. ✖️
It’s we went. ✔️
I would rather you do it. ✖️
I would rather you did it. ✔️
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
This tense performs four functions:
- It talks about ongoing actions:
I am reading my “English for Today” now. - It talks about an action that is going on at about the period but not necessarily at the time of speaking:
We are preparing for our harvest. - It is used with the adverb, always, to express habitual actions:
She is always coming home late. - It is also used to express a future action:
We are playing Madrid next weekend.
GAB
Articulate and concise. Many thanks, Dr. GAB