Using Past Indefinite through Dialogues

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This page shows different ways of using the Past Indefinite (or Simple Past) through dialogues from English literature.

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The Past Indefinite is used to express a single action completed in the past. It is performed within a period of time which is already over. An indication of the past time is given or implied in the situation. The speaker is mostly interested in the circumstances of the action, not the action itself.

Illustrative Examples:

1. The children in the junior form have great difficulty in writing compositions, so the teacher is trying to teach them how to do it; they are writing together on the blackboard a composite account of the holiday.

The teacher: John, tell me something that you did.
John: Went to the seaside, miss.
The teacher: How?
John: Bus.
The teacher: By yourself?
John: No. Lot of us kids went. Us went with the Mothers’ Union, miss.
The teacher: Right. Now put all that into sentences that I can write on the blackboard. Well, come along. You can start by saying, “During the holidays I went to the seaside.” What shall we put next?
Anne: I went in a bus.
The teacher: Now what?
The teacher: I went with the Mother’s Union.
Another pupil: I went with some others.
Another pupil: I went on a Saturday.
Another pupil: I went with my sister.

(Miss Read. Village School)

Using Present Indefinite Tense through Dialogues

• Contents → Grammar in Dialogues → Using Present Indefinite 

This page shows different ways of using the Present Indefinite through dialogues from English literature.

The Present Indefinite mainly expresses permanent or recurrent actions in the present.

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a) We find permanent actions or states with durative verbs. They generally indicate continuous uninterrupted or repeated processes representing permanent features and relationships. They give a general characteristic to the person or thing denoted by the subject. Time indications are not obligatory in this case.

Illustrative Examples:

1. Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher stay at school after classes and talk about their likes and dislikes.

Tom: Do you love rats?
Becky: No, I hate them!
Tom: Well, I do, too — live ones. But I mean dead ones, to swing round your head with a string.
Becky: No, I don't care for rats much, anyway. What I like is chewing-gum!..
Tom: Do you? I've got some. I'll let you chew it awhile, but you must give it back to me.

(M. Twain. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)

Conditional Mood Examples in Proverbs and Quotations

Conditional and Subjunctive Mood Examples in Proverbs, Quotations and Rhymes

1.  Comment on the use of the Conditional Mood in complex sentences expressing unreal condition in the following proverbs and sayings.

1.     If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
2.     If there were no clouds, we should not enjoy the sun.
3.     If it were not for hope, the heart would break.
4.     If the pills were pleasant, they would not be guilded.
5.     If things were to be done twice all would be wise.
6.     If "ifs" and "ans" were pots and pans.
7.     Many would be cowards if they had courage enough.
8.     Pigs might fly if they had wings.
9.     If my aunt had been a man, she’d have been my uncle.
10.     If each would sweep before his own door, we should have a clean city.

Conditional Sentences

The Conditional Mood is used to the principal clauses of complex sentences expressing unreal condition.

The Oblique Moods

The Formation of the Oblique Moods

Subjunctive I

	Synthetical form (1)	Analytical form
Present	I (he, she, we, you, they) be, have, speak	I (he, she, we, you, they) should be, should have, should speak.
Past	---	I (he, she, we, you, they) should have been, should have had, should have spoken.

(1) The form of Subjunctive I in Modern British English is mostly used in poetry and official documents. In colloquial speech the analytical form of Subjunctive I prevails.
In American English the synthetical form of Subjunctive I is colloquial.

Gerund - Grammar Exercises

Grammar exercises and activities for teaching the Gerund to English language learners. Some exercises include answer keys.

I. Define the forms of the gerund .

1. Skiing is my favourite sport. 
2. I remember his telling me about his coat. 
3. I remember having seen this match. 
4. Before taking up swimming she had been very fond of playing basketball. 
5. The football player was punished for having pushed the centre forward. 
6. The young high jumper was very proud of being praised. 
7. I did not know you had stopped rooting for our team. 
8. I remember having been told about this match.

Participle Examples in Proverbs and Quotations

1. Point out participle I and participle II in the following proverbs.

1. United we stand, divided we fall.
2. Better untaught than ill taught.
3. One volunteer is worth two pressed men.
4. Fear the Greeks bearing gifts.
5. Stolen sweets are sweetest.
6. Forbidden fruit is sweetest.
7. A forced kindness deserves no thanks.
8. The rotten apple injures its neighbours.
9. The beaten road is the safest.
10. A watched pot never boils.