Representing Time: Present, Past and Future

Time can be expressed … Using the verb group/verb phrase through the tense system eats ate will eat Using time expressions like the following: in two hours for sometime every morning Q: How are these expressions different?

These time expressions express duration in time For many years express location in time In two days express frequency in time every day Annually Often

Time can be expressed … Using conjunctions She entered the room while he was dancing. When they saw the police, they ran away. Using other adverbials that link the sentence with previous text As will be seen, …. Then, …

The tense system Absolute tense Relative tense Present Past Future Reference point: the time of speaking / writing Relative tense Present (before) Past (after) before /after a reference point which could be in the past/ present or future

Simple present She eats an apple every day. Present perfect She has eaten an apple today. Past perfect She had (already) eaten an apple when they offered her lunch.

Activity Explain the difference in the time expressed by these verb forms Use some form of graphical mapping if that helps. Eats Ate Will eat is eating has eaten was eating had eaten Will be eating will have eaten Has been eating Had been eating will have been eating

How are these different? George is stupid. George is being stupid.