How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em

12. Tenses - Featuring English with Rob (transcribed)


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Welcome to all our new followers and our regulars. This week Gav and Em take on the tenses of English. Teachers and students, have your pens and pads ready to take notes on an entertaining way of presenting grammar. Featuring our special guest Rob from English with Rob, who shares a delightful song which perfectly complements the show's theme. Listen, read and enjoy this week's episode of Gav and Em's How to English Podcast. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/oaLaaWaMiAD

Tenses from the show:

Present simple - There are ants in the sink! (a fact)

They wake early. (routine)

The ant bus arrives at 7 am in the morning. (a schedule)

Present continuous - That piece of lettuce is walking away! (a longer action in the present)

Past simple - The ants decided to invade the kitchen. (a past action)

Past continuous - While the ants were walking away with the lettuce I decided to grab it. (a longer past action interrupted by a short action)

Past perfect - Maybe you had left the door open and the ants got in. (a past action before another past action)

Past perfect continuous - She had been doing a lot of overtime and that's why she felt stressed. (a longer action before a past action)

Present perfect - The ants have been in the kitchen for two hours. (a past action that continues to the present)

The ants have just taken control of my kitchen! (for recent past actions with present results)

The ants have taken three lettuces. (when using a number of completed past actions with present results)

They have occupied the sink. (started in the past, a permanent and completed situation)

Present perfect continuous - They have been occupying the sink for two hours. (a temporary repeated action that started in the past and continues to the present.)

Compare:

Present perfect - The ants have eaten the lettuce.

(for a completed past action with present results)

Present perfect continuous - The ants have been eating the lettuce.

(for an incomplete action started in the past and continues to the present and maybe beyond)

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How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & EmBy Gav & Em