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CES I Note and Exercise

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4 views3 pages

CES I Note and Exercise

Uploaded by

Eyuel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Tenses

Tenses are represented with verb forms expressing time: tense are set of verbs that express the different
TIME at which ACTION takes place relative to the speaker/writer, e.g. the present, past, or future.

Strictly speaking, in English we have only two tenses: the present (go, eat, play, die....) and the past
(went, ate, played, died ...). All other expressions of time are formed by combining auxiliary verbs with
the present participle (is, done, has done, are taken, have taken), past participle (was/were done, had
done), or infinitive (to write, to speak), as the progressive/ continuous: present or past aspect
(is/was/are/were playing, is/was/were being played), the perfect aspect (has/have been played) ,the future
aspect (will do,....), future continuous ( will be playing,...) and other aspect, etc.

The Present tense


A) The tense of a verb that expresses
- a situation or an action at the time of speaking or writing.
Example;
He is in the classroom now. We start the new course today.
They play football at this moment. She speaks English fluently.
- General/ global truth/ fact where time has no influence on the issue that it is taken always
true in the past, now and in the future.

Example:

The Earth rotates around the Sun. All living things die.

Good readers are good speakers. Smoking causes cancer.

NB- Hints that indicate the need of Present tense include: now, at this moment, today, at the moment
of speaking, this days, currently, ....

The present Continuous Tense


This tense is made of V1 of the verb to be (am, is, and are + -ing of the main verb) and uses to
address an action happens/ going on at the moment of speaking/ writing.
Example: We are learning CES I. She is making coffee and baking ‘injera’.
I am looking at your class progress.
The Simple past Tense
This reflects an action done/ completed earlier, at least just before the moment of speaking/writing. Here,
the V2 = past form of the verb has to be applied.

NB: The common clues are adverb of time like yesterday, ...ago, last..., before, etc.

Examples:

The old man ate all the food with pleasure last night.
Students took their final exam and went to vacation a week ago.
She had no bad headache before.
The Past continuous Tense
This form expresses actions that were going on for a period of time in the past/ at least before the
time of speaking/writing. The form it has is V 2 of the verb to be (was/were + -ing form of the
main verb).
Example: We were studying CES I for hours. She was making coffee and baking ‘injera’.
The car was moving too slowly due to traffic jam.
The Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect tense is made of the Verb to have (have/ has) + the V 3 (past participle of
the main verb). The uses of this verb seek high attention as it is used to express many different
actions done at different contexts or times but having various implications.
A) To reflect an action completed in the past with an impact imposed now/ today.
Example:
Thieves have stolen my mobile. => By now my (earlier) mobile is not with me
They have done their assignments. => The assignment is ready at the moment of speaking.
The child has eaten all the cookies you bought. => There are no cookies left which you bought.
NB There are common adverbials that are usually used in present perfect tense: already, just (a
moment before speaking), never, yet (until now), since (beginning from a specific
time/hour/day/year,..) and for (a period of time unspecified).

B) To reflect an action completed just before/ a few minute earlier to speaking/ writing
The student has already completed the exam.
The rain has just stopped but the flooding hasn’t made us move yet.
C) To reflect an action done/started long time ago in the past but fresh memories are still
felt now

My father has been in Addis for four years. => He may or may not be in Addis at this
moment.
That tourist has visited Harar for a week. => Once in the past, the tourist was in Harar.

D) To reflect an action started long time ago in the past but not yet completed now and
may or may not continue in the future

My father has been in Addis since 2012. => He is still now in Addis.
The women have never seen a lion alive yet. => Until today, they do not personally meet a lion.
The sick man has not recovered yet. =>The man is still sick & more time is needed to get his health.
Haven’t the police found the robbers yet? => The robbers are not held.
Mr. G: How long have you studied English?
Student K: Well, I have studied English since grade five/ for about eight years.
But in questions, ‘yet’ can also be used without negative markers, when negative response is
expected.
Example: A: Have you finished reading that book yet?
B: No, I was busy all the week.
Z: Has the girl started her new job yet?
X: No, she starts next month with others.

Exercises
Use the appropriate tense forms of each verb given in brackets to complete the
following sentences.
1. Every living thing ______ (need) food and water, and they all ____ (die).
2. Here ____ (come) our teacher who _____ (teach) us CES I.
3. The class usually _____ (begin) at 12: 00, but many students _____ (come) too late.
4. Someone ____ (pick) my mobile last night.
5. Somebody _____ (steal) my mobile that I am empty handed now.
6. We ____ (learn) Economics at this very moment.
7. That woman ____ (visit) Harla for a number of times.
8. I _____ (be) in Harar since 2020.
9. As a freshman student, she ____ (join) Dire Dawa University since January, 2024.
10. The boys ____(already/complete) their dance just before the police ___(come) to the room.

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