Collins Cobuild English Grammar (90 page)

More information about adverbials of frequency, including a list of the most common ones, can be found in paragraphs
4.114
to
4.122
.

frequent actions

4.24
    The present progressive is also used with words like
always
and
forever
when you want to emphasize how often the action takes place. This use expresses disapproval or annoyance. The adverb is placed after the auxiliary verb.

You’re
always
looking for faults.
It’s
always
raining.
And she’s
always
talking to him on the telephone.
They are
forever
being knocked down by cars.

The use of the present progressive to talk about frequent, habitual actions is explained in paragraph
4.20
.

time adverbials with present verb forms

4.25
    Note that some adverbs that refer to the present time, such as
now
and
today
, are also used to express past time. However, there are a few adverbs and other time adverbials that are almost always used with present verb forms.

I’m not planning on having children
at present
. …the camping craze that is
currently
sweeping America.
Nowadays
fitness is becoming a generally accepted principle of life.

The following is a list of time adverbials that are normally only used with present verb forms:

at present

currently

in this day and age

nowadays

presently

these days

Note that in this list the word
presently
means
now
.

The past

4.26
    When you are talking about the past, a time adverbial is necessary to specify the particular time in the past you are referring to. The time reference can be established in a previous clause, and the verbs in the following clauses are therefore put in the past tense.

It was very cold
that night
. Over my head
was
a gap in the reed matting of the roof.
The house was damaged by fire
yesterday
. No-one
was
injured.

Stating a definite time in the past: the past simple

4.27
    If you want to say that an event occurred or that something was the case at a particular time in the past, you use the
past simple
.

The Israeli Prime Minister
flew
into New York yesterday to start his visit to the US.
Our regular window cleaner
went off
to Canada last year.
On 1 February 1968 he
introduced
the Industrial Expansion Bill.
They
gave
me medication to help me relax.

past situations

4.28
    If you want to say that a situation existed over a period of time in the past, you also use the past simple.

He
lived
in Paris during his last years.
Throughout his life he
suffered from
epilepsy

4.29
    If you are talking about something that happened in the past, and you mention a situation that existed at that time, you use the past simple. You can do this whether or not the situation still exists.

All the streets in this part of Watford
looked
alike.
About fifty miles from the university there
was
one of India’s most famous and ancient Hindu temples.

habitual and regular actions

4.30
    If you want to talk about an activity that took place regularly or repeatedly in the past, but that no longer occurs, you use the past simple.

We
walked
a great deal when I was a boy.
Each week we
trekked
to the big house.

Would
and
used to
can also be used to say that something happened regularly in the past but no longer does so. See paragraphs
5.112
and
5.253
for more information.

Actions in progress in the past: the past progressive

repeated actions

4.31
    If you want to focus on action in progress or repeated actions that occurred in the past, you use the
past progressive
.

Her tooth
was aching
, her burnt finger
was hurting
.
He
was looking
ill.
Everyone
was begging
the captain to surrender.
I
was meeting
thousands of people and
getting to know
no one.

contrasting events

4.32
    If you want to contrast a situation with an event that happened just after that situation existed, you use the past progressive to describe the first situation. You then use the past simple to describe and draw attention to the event that occurred after it.

We
were
all
sitting
round the fire waiting for my brother to come home. He
arrived
about six in the evening.
I
was waiting
angrily on Monday morning when I
saw
Mrs. Miller.

The past in relation to the present: the present perfect

4.33
    If you want to mention something that happened in the past but you do not want to state a specific time, you use the
present perfect
.

They
have raised
£180 for a swimming pool.
I
have noticed
this trait in many photographers.

BE CAREFUL

4.34
    You cannot use time adverbials that place the action at a definite time in the past with the present perfect. For example, you cannot say
I have done it yesterday
.

You can, however, use an
adverbial of duration
.

The settlers have left the bay
forever
.
I ate brown rice, which I have
always
hated, and vegetables from my garden.

Adverbials of duration are explained and listed in paragraphs
4.123
to
4.142
.

You can also use
since
and
for
with the present perfect because when they are used in this way they refer to a definite time.

They have been back every year
since then
.
She has worked for him
for ten years
.

For more information on
since
see paragraph
4.137
. Other uses of
for
are explained in paragraphs
4.125
to
4.128
.

situations that still exist

4.35
    If you want to talk about an activity or situation that started at some time in the past, continued, and is still happening now, you use the present perfect or the
present perfect progressive
.

All my adult life I
have waited
for the emergence of a strong centre party.
She’
s
always
felt
that films should be entertaining.
National productivity
has been declining
.
I
have been dancing
since I was a child.

emphasizing duration of event

4.36
    If you want to emphasize the duration of a recent event, you use the present perfect progressive.

She’
s been crying
.
Some people will say that what I
have been describing
is not a crisis of industry.
The Department of Aboriginal Affairs
has
recently
been conducting
a survey of Australian Aborigines.

Events before a particular time in the past: the past perfect

4.37
    If you want to talk about a past event or situation that occurred before a particular time in the past, you use the
past perfect
.

One day he noticed that a culture plate
had become
contaminated by a mould.
Before the war, he
had worked
as a bank manager.
She
had lost
her job as a real estate agent and was working as a waitress.
I detested games and
had
always
managed
to avoid children’s parties.

emphasizing time and duration

4.38
    If you want to emphasize the recentness and the duration of a continuous activity that took place before a particular time in the past, you use the
past perfect progressive
.

Until now the rumours that
had been circulating
were exaggerated versions of the truth.
The doctor
had been working
alone.
He died in hospital where he
had been receiving
treatment for cancer.
They
had been hitting
our trucks regularly.

expectations and wishes

4.39
    If you want to say that something was expected, wished for, or intended before a particular time in the past, you use the past perfect or the past perfect progressive.

She
had
naturally
assumed
that once there was a theatre everybody would want to go.
It was the remains of a ten-rupee note which she
had hoped
would last till the end of the week.
It was not as nice on the terrace as Clarissa
had expected
.
I
had been expecting
some miraculous obvious change.