A Grammar of the English Language. Грамматика английского языка. A grammar of the english language
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§ 13. The formation of the Future Continuous. 1. The Future Continuous is formed by means of the Future Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to be and Participle I of the notional verb. 2. In the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject. In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
3. The contracted affirmative forms are: I’ll be reading He’ll be reading The contracted negative forms are: I shan’t be reading He won’t be reading 4. The negative-interrogative forms are: Shall I not be reading? Shan’t I be reading? Will he not be-reading? Won’t he be reading? § 14. The use of the Future Continuous. 1. The Future Continuous is used to denote an action which will be going on at a definite moment in the future. I wonder whether we shall ever arrive at a decision. I am sure the next time you call we shall still be wavering. (Collins) The definite moment is indicated either by another future action expressed by a verb in the Present Indefinite or by an adverbial phrase. I shall already be working when you return. At 12 o’clock I shall still be working. The definite moment is often not expressed, but is understood from the situation. I am sure you won’t be able to speak to him, he will be working. 2. The Future Continuous can have a modal colouring: it can denote an action which is sure to take place, often independently of the will of the speaker and the doer of the action. I feel I shall be asking you the same question tomorrow. But my dear Ann Veronica, you will be getting into debt. (Wells) THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS IN THE PAST § 15. The formation of the Future Continuous in the Past. 1. The Future Continuous in the Past is formed by means of the Future Indefinite in the Past of the auxiliary verb to be and Participle I of the notional verb. 2. In the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject. In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary verb.
3. The contracted affirmative forms are: I’d be reading He’d be reading The contracted negative forms are: I shouldn’t be reading He wouldn’t be reading 4. The negative-interrogative forms are: {Should I not be reading? Shouldn’t I be reading? {Would he not be reading? Wouldn’t he be reading? § 16. The use of the Future Continuous in the Past. The Future Continuous in the Past denotes an action going on at a definite moment which was future from the point of view of the past. I felt sure they would be discussing the same problem when I called. (For detailed treatment see Chapter XVIII.) N o t e 1. — Influence of the lexical character of the verb on the use of the Indefinite and the Continuous form. To express a process with terminative verbs the Continuous form alone is possible. At that, moment he was unlocking the door. (Oppenheim) В этот момент он отпирал дверь. With the Indefinite form the meaning would be quite different: the action would be represented as completed. At that moment he unlocked the door. В этот момент он отпер дверь. То express a process with non-terminative verbs the Continuous form is mostly used, though the Indefinite form is also found, especially with such verbs as to sit, to stand, to lie, because these verbs express a state rather than a process. When I saw her, she lay motionless on the sofa. With the adverbial modifier the whole day yesterday (to-morrow) both the Indefinite and the Continuous form of non-terminative verbs can be used to denote a process. I was so tired I slept (was sleeping) the whole day yesterday. The meaning is the same, only with the Continuous form the process is expressed more emphatically. N o t e 2. — The use of the Past Indefinite and the Past Continuous in complex sentences with as and while. The use of the Past Indefinite and the Past Continuous in complex sentences with as and while, when there are two actions going on at the same time, largely depends on the lexical character of the verb. If both the verbs are terminative, they are generally used in the Past Continuous. She was arranging the books on the shelf while I was sweeping the floor. If one of them is terminative and the other non-terminative, the terminative verb must be used in the Past Continuous and the non-terminative, verb may be used either in the Past Continuous or, preferably, in the Past Indefinite. She was arranging the books on the shelf while I played the piano. If both verbs are non-terminative the best way is the Past Indefinite in both clauses. He read as he ate. (Bennett) There is another possibility: the use of the Past Indefinite in one clause and the Past Continuous in the other. He was singing as he walked. VERBS NOT USED INTHE CONTINUOUS FORM It naturally follows from the definition of the Continuous form (“it denotes an action in a state of process at the present moment or at a definite moment in the past or future”) that verbs which do not express a process are not used in the continuous form. The following groups of verbs do not express a process: (a) verbs denoting sense perception (to see, to hear); (b) verbs denoting mental activity (to know, to believe); (c) verbs denoting wish (to want, to wish); (d) verbs denoting feeling (to love, to hate, to like); (e) verbs denoting abstract relations (to have, to consist, to depend, to belong). In such expressions as to see the sights of, to see somebody home, to see somebody off the verb to see does not mean ‘видеть’, so it can be used in the Continuous form. They were seeing the sights of London while their cousin waited for them at the hotel. (Wells) It is naturally possible to use the Continuous form of the verb to have in the expressions of the type to have dinner (lunch, supper), because it does not denote possession. They are having lunch. The verb to think cannot be used in the Continuous form if it denotes an opinion; it can if it denotes a process of thought. I think you are right. I am thinking of what you have just said. The verb to admire cannot be used in the Continuous form if it means ‘восхищаться’; it can if it means ‘любоваться’. “I hope you dote on Harry the Eighth!” “I admire him very much,” said Carker. (Dickens) What are you doing here, my poetic little friend? Admiring the moon, eh? (Collins) THE PERFECT FORM The Perfect form denotes an action completed before the present moment (and connected with it) or before a definite moment in the past or future. It is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to have in the required tense and Participle II of the notional verb. (On the formation of Participle II see Chapter VII, § 3.) THE PRESENT PERFECT § 17. The formation of the Present Perfect. 1. The Present Perfect is formed by means of the Present Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to have and Participle II of the notional verb. 2. In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject. In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
3. The contracted affirmative forms are: I’ve worked He’s worked You’ve worked The contracted negative forms are: I haven’t worked He hasn’t worked You haven’t worked 4. The negative-interrogative forms are: Has she not worked? Hasn’t she worked? Have you not worked? Haven’t you worked? § 18. The use of the Present Perfect. 1. The Present Perfect denotes a completed action connected with the present. Stop that car! They have killed a child. (Dreiser) I am a little frightened for I have lost my way. (Dickens) The Present Perfect is frequently used with the adverbs just, yet, already and of late. Mr. Worthing, I suppose, has not returned from town yet!(Wilde) I have just written to him. (Dickens) He has done a great deal of work of late.(Locke) The Present Perfect can be rendered in Russian by the past perfective or imperfective. How many pages have you translated for today? Сколько страниц вы перевели к сегодняшнему дню? Have you ever translated technical articles? Вы переводили когда-нибудь технические статьи? 2. The Present Perfect is used in adverbial clauses of time after the conjunctions when, till, until, before, after, as soon as to denote an action completed before a definite moment in the future. Don’t buy any more meat tomorrow until you have spoken to the mistress about it. (Bennett) I am not going till you have answered me. (Galsworthy) N o t e.— Verbs of sense perception and motion such as to hear, to see, to come, to arrive, to return in adverbial clauses of time are generally used in the Present Indefinite and not in the Present Perfect. I am sure he will recognize the poem when he hears the first line. Я уверен, что он узнает стихотворение, когда услышит первую строчку. We’ll ask Mr. Franklin, my dear, if you can wait till Mr. Franklin comes. (Collins) When the completion of the action is emphasized, the Present Perfect is used. He will know the poem by heart when he has heard it twice. Он будет знать стихотворение наизусть, когда дважды прослушает его. 3. The Present Perfect denotes an action which began in the past, has been going on up to the present and is still going on. In this case either the starting point of the action is indicated or the whole period of duration. The preposition for is used to denote the whole period of duration. Since is used to indicate the starting point of the action. If the conjunction since introduces a clause, the verb in this clause is in the Past Indefinite. Mr. Cowperwood, I have known you now for something like fourteen years. (Dreiser) We have been engaged these four years.(Austen) Where have you been since last Thursday?(Wilde) Have you been alone, Florence, since I was here last?(Dickens) This use of the Present Perfect is called the Present Perfect Inclusive. The Present Perfect Inclusive is used: (a) with verbs not admitting of the Continuous form. “There is nothing to be done. She’s dead — has been dead for hours,” said the doctor. (Eliot) (b) in negative sentences. (In this case the Present Perfect Continuous is not impossible. See § 28.) I have not slept since that night. (Bennett) (c) with non-terminative verbs such as to live, to work, to study, to teach, to travel etc. (In this case the Present Perfect Continuous is possible. See § 28.) I have worked upon the problem for a long time without reaching any conclusion. (Shaw) The Present Perfect in this case is translated into Russian by the present or sometimes by the past imperfective. I have known him for many years. Я знаю его много лет. I have always been fond of music. Я всегда любил музыку. N o t e. — In the following cases the Present Perfect is not used:
C o m p a r e: I have forgotten to ring her up (a certain action). § 19. The Past Indefinite and the Present Perfect. An action expressed ,by the Past Indefinite belongs exclusively to the sphere of the past, while the Present Perfect shows that a past occurrence is connected with the present time. She is not well and has changed very much of late. She changed very much a great many years ago. (Dickens) The Present Perfect is never used with such adverbial modifiers of the past time as yesterday, the other day, last week etc. With such adverbial modifiers as to-day, this week etc. both the Present Perfect and the Past Indefinite are used. The tenses are used according to the principle mentioned above (§ 4, § 18). I have told you three times this week that she is coming home for a year. (Dreiser) I want your sister, the woman who gave me money today. (Dickens) With the adverb just the Present Perfect is used. I have just hired a new pianist from St. Joe — a Negro. (Dreiser) With the expression just now the. Past Indefinite is used. I saw you come in just now. (Dreiser) Just now is less frequent than just. THE PAST PERFECT |