Time is a universal, non-linguistic concept with three divisions: past, Present and future. Tense is a linguistic concept. It is the correspondence between the form of the verb and our concept of time. Aspect concerns the manner in which the verbal action is experienced or regarded, for example, completed or in progress. Mood refers to grammatical manifestations of the way the speaker views the reality of the sentence. English has two moods, indicative and imperative, used by all speakers, and a third rather marginal mood used by some speakers, the subjunctive. Time, Tense, Mood and Aspect

English tenses have two elements of meaning: TIME Is the verb action present, past or future? ASPECT How does the speaker see the verb action? Examples: She’s talking on the phone. TIME: Present ASPECT: activity in progress now. I saw a good film last night. TIME: Past ASPECT: action completed at a specific time. Have you ever seen “Gone with the Wind”? TIME: before now ASPECT: the exact time when is not important. The question asks about the experience at any time in the past. I’ll give you my phone number. TIME: future ASPECT: spontaneous intention.

There are two aspects in the English tense system. They are called CONTINUOUS and PERFECT. CONTINUOUS ASPECT The continuous aspect expresses the following ideas: a.activity in progress Don’t interrupt me. I’m thinking. Why aren’t you working? I was going out of the hotel when someone tapped me on the shoulder. Don’t phone her at eight. She’ll be having dinner. b. temporary activity We are living in a hotel until we find a house to buy. You are being very silly today. Usually you’re so sensible. c. possibly incomplete activity Who’s been eating my sandwich? (Compare Who’s eaten my sandwich?) I was writing the report on the plane. (Compare I wrote my report on plane)

PERFECT ASPECT The perfect aspect expresses the following ideas: a.the exact time of the verb action is not important I’ve bought a new car. Have you seen my wallet anywhere? I’ve lost it. b. The action is completed before another time Have you ever been to America? (Some time before now) When I arrived, he had already left. (Some time before I arrived) I’ll have finished the report by tonight. (Some time before tonight)

PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE Form of the simple Present Tense Each verb tense/aspect has three major forms: Positive (Statement), Negative (Statement), and Question. POSITIVE In most persons, the Positive form is the same as the basic form (infinitive without to): I walk. You stay. We go. They hurry In the Third Person Singular, most verbs end in s: He walks. She stays. It goes. John hurries

NEGATIVE In most persons, you put DO NOT / DON’T in front of the basic form of the verb: I don't walk. They don't hurry. We do not smoke. In the Third Person Singular, you put DOES NOT / DOESN’T in front of the basic form: He doesn't walk. It doesn't go. Jane does not hurry.

QUESTIONS In most persons, the question is made in this way: DO + SUBJECT + BASIC FORM OF VERB Do they walk ? Do we go ? Do I know ? In the Third Person Singular, the question is made this way: DOES + SUBJECT + BASIC FORM OF VERB Does she smoke? Does it work? Does Bill know? When there is a question word, it normally goes at the beginning of the clause: When do they leave? How do I start? Why does she smoke? Where does it go?

Spelling of the 3rd person singular Most verbs add –s work – works drive –drives run – runs Verbs normally add -es to verbs ending in: -o, -ss, -x, - sh, -ch: do – does pass – passescatch – catches fix – fixes push – pushes When there is a consonant before -y, the -y changes to - ies: fly – fliescry – cries Exception: if there is a vowel before the –y, the –y does not change play – plays pray – prays

Uses of the Simple Present Tense The simple present is used: 1.Permanent truths We use the simple present for statements that are always true: Summer follows spring. Gases expand when heated. 2. Unchanging situations We use the simple present to refer to events, actions or situations which are true in the present period of time and which, for all we know, may continue indefinitely. What we are saying, in effect, is “this is the situation as it stands at the present”. My father works in a bank. My sister wears glasses.

3. Habitual actions The simple present can be used with or without an adverb of time to describe habitual actions, things that happen repeatedly. I get up at 7 o’clock. John smokes a lot. I sometimes stay up till midnight. She visits her parents every day. 4. Future events The simple present is used to make statements about events at a time later than now, when the statements are based on present facts, and when these facts are something fixed like a time-table, schedule, calendar. The plane arrives at tomorrow. She has a yoga class tomorrow morning. The restaurant opens at tonight. Next Thursday at there is an English exam.