(12)-Tense-and-Aspect-(2)

Lecture 12 Tense and Aspect(2)The perfective aspect can combine with the two tenses,forming present perfective(have done)and past perfective(had done),which can again combine with the progressive aspect,resulting in present perfective progressive(have been doing)and past perfective progressive(had been doing).12.1 Uses of present perfective(progressive)(have done/have been doing)1)Present perfective(have done)Present perfective,a combination of the per-fective aspect with the present tense(have/has+-ed participle),has two chief uses:“finished”use“finished”use and“unfinished”use“unfinished”use.a)a)The“finished”use refers to the present result of The“finished”use refers to the present result of a past event still operative at the present moment.a past event still operative at the present moment.In such cases,momentary verbs and transitional In such cases,momentary verbs and transitional verbs are especially involved.verbs are especially involved.(无表示段的时间状语,强调结果)e.g.:He has left Shanghai for Beijing.Ive just locked the door.Hes recovered from his illness.It can be used to denote a long result.In this case,durative verbs are used.e.g.:Ive studied Esperanto.Hes had a good education.Besides,it can be used to denote that an action occurs before another verb.e.g.:I understand what he has said to us.Return all the books that you have borrowed from the library.b)b)The“unfinished”use of the present perfective The“unfinished”use of the present perfective denotes that an action or state extends over a period denotes that an action or state extends over a period lasting up to the present moment,possibly extending lasting up to the present moment,possibly extending into the future as well.into the future as well.The“unfinished”use is often The“unfinished”use is often found in an expression referring to a state or a habit found in an expression referring to a state or a habit or in a negative expression indicating the non-occur-or in a negative expression indicating the non-occur-rence of an event.rence of an event.(用持续性动词或静态动词,与forfor/sincesince 表示段的时间状语连用)e.g.:Hes been ill for 3 years.Ive known him for 20 years.She hasnt called yet since she left.I havent seen him for a long time.The difference between these two uses manifests itself in the fact that in the“unfinished”use,the present perfective is commonly accompanied by an adverbial expressing duration,but no such accompany-ing adverbial is present in the“finished”use.Compare:He has turned off the light.(The light is still off now.)He has lived here since 1980.(The period of residence extends to the present,or he will go on living here.)2)Present perfective progressive(have been doing)The use of the present perfective progressive has much in common with the“unfinished”use of the present perfective.a)a)It denotes that an action started in the past and It denotes that an action started in the past and is continuing now.is continuing now.e.g.:Ive been translating this article for two hours.(and Ive still got some more to do)He is ill.Hes been lying in bed for three weeks.This couple have been living here since their marriage.They have been negotiating for five hours now and neither party seems to be willing to compromise.Ive been working on my essay for a whole day and have produced only one paragraph.b)b)It denotes that an action started in the past and It denotes that an action started in the past and stopped at the time of speaking.In this case,it re-stopped at the time of speaking.In this case,it re-fers to a finished event that belongs to very recent fers to a finished event that belongs to very recent past.past.e.g.:Have you been waiting long for me?A:Sorry,Ive kept you waiting.B:Its all right.Ive been reading newspapers.A:Im sure shes been crying again.B:Yes,youre right.Her eyes are red.A:Take off your dirty shoes before you come in.What have you been doing in the garden?B:Pulling weeds,Mum.In many cases these two forms can be used inter-changeably:e.g.:Weve been living here for ten years.Weve lived here for ten years.There are cases,however,where these two forms are not interchangeable in that the present perfec-tive progressive had also the meanings of continuous-ness,temporariness and incompleteness.Compare:Whos been eating my dinner?(Some of it is left.)Whos eaten my dinner?(Its all gone.)3)Contrast between present perfective(progressive)and simple past The present perfective(progressive)has similarities with the simple past in that both can refer to sth.that happened in the past.But their differences are greater because the simple past does not suggest relevance with the present time,whereas the present perfective(progressive)has some connection with the present.Hence,if an action or state happened in the past and has no connection with the present,it will have to be expressed by the simple past or the past progressive.a)a)Whether the action has some connection with the Whether the action has some connection with the present presentCompare:(1)He has worked hard