The phrase that builds character

In today's class, we concentrated on just two of the six major structural distinctions.

Which were they?

• Modality and Voice

• Positive and negative

• Tense and Aspect

• Finite and Non-Finite

Can verbs structurally marked for the present tense refer to events that took place some time in the past?

• No, they can't. We only use past tense to refer to events that transpired in the past.

• Yes, they can also refer to events that happen at some time in the past. The so-called historic present.

• No, they can't. We can only use present tense to refer to events that happen in the present.

• Yes, they can but only if the event happened a very long time ago (years).

Can future time be expressed with the present tense?

• Yes it can and it is only with present tense that we can do

• No it can't, we use future tense to express future time.

• No it can't, we only use the modal will to refer to events in the future.

• Yes it can be expressed with it, but it can also be expressed with the modal will.

From a structural point of view, English verbs are inflected for only two tenses. What are they?

In relation of Aspect. What are the different combinations of Aspect and Tense that we discussed in class?

• Perfect aspect present tense and progressive aspect past tense.

• Progressive aspect present tense and perfect aspect past tense.

• All of them.

• None of them.

The aspects can be combined with either:

From a semantic point of view, both Tense and Aspect relate primarly to...

• time distinctions in the adverb phrase.

• time distinctions in the verb phrase.

• time conundrums.

• time travel.

Which of these images exemplifies a future time with the use of the modal will? ¡Come on!

• 
• 
• 

What are the main uses of present tense?

• Describing a state existing at the present time

• Referring to present habitual behavior and future time

• Reporting an ongoing action

• Marking hypothetical

• Reporting