Distancing

Certain structures can be used to make the speaker’s requests, questions or statements seem more ‘distant’ from reality and therefore more polite. Past tenses are often used to do this.

How much did you want to spend, sir? (meaning ‘How much do you want to spend?’)

I wondered if you were free this evening. (meaning ‘Are you free?’)

Progressive forms can be used in the same way. They sound more casual and less definite than simple forms because they suggest something temporary and incomplete.

I’m hoping you can lend me $10. (less definite than ‘I hope …’).

What time are you planning to arrive? (more casual than ‘Please let me know what time you plan to arrive.’)

The past progressive gives a greater level of distancing.

Good morning. I was wondering if you have two single rooms. (meaning ‘Do you have …?’)

I was thinking – what about borrowing Jack’s car?

Another way to distance is to displace it into future. ‘Will need / have to’ can be used to soften instructions and orders.

I’m afraid, you’ll have to fill in this form.

I’ll have to ask you to wait a minute.

‘Will’ is sometimes used to say how much money is owed.

That will be $250, please.

Unit 2 The Simple Present Perfect Tense

1. The simple present perfect is used to say that a finished action or event is connected with the present in some way, but the time of the action is not mentioned or implied. It expresses the idea of completion or achievement.

At last! I’ve finished!

I’ve learned enough to pass the exam. (The exam is still to come, and I’m ready for it.)

The simple present perfect is the most natural way of giving news of recent events.

And here are the main points of news again. The pound has fallen against the dollar. The number of unemployed has reached five million. …

After using the present perfect to announce a piece of news, the speaker naturally changes to past tenses to give details.

There has been a plane crash near Bristol. Witnesses say there was an explosion as the aircraft was taking off.

When the speaker is interested in some details of a completed action, he uses past tenses.

That’s a nice picture. Did you paint it yourself? (The picture is finished and it’s clear that somebody has painted it. I want to know who did it.)

2. The simple present perfect is used in sentences constructed with ‘It’s the first (second …) time that …’

It’s the first time that I’ve heard her sing.

This is the fifth time you’ve asked me the same question.

3. The simple present perfect can be used in a time clause introduced by ‘since’ when we mean ‘за тот период (за то время) что …’. In this case the time clause expresses a state which began in the past and is connected with the moment of speech.

Compare: You’ve drunk ten cups of tea since we arrived. (‘Arrived’ is a past action which is not connected with the moment of speech).

You’ve drunk ten cups of tea since we’ve been here.

Ты выпила 10 чашек чаю за то время, что мы здесь.

(We are still here. A period of time connected with the moment of speech.)

They’ve been close friends since Alice was a little girl. (Alice is not a little girl any more. A period of time not connected with the moment of speech).

4. The present perfect tense is often used in clauses with ‘before’ and ‘after’ to emphasize the idea of completion or to stress that one action must necessarily happen before the other. (Remember that you cannot use future forms in clauses of time and condition.)

I can’t go home before I’ve signed the letters. = I’ll go home only after I’ve signed the letters.

I’ll phone you after I arrive. = I’m just saying when I’ll phone.

I’ll phone you after I’ve seen Jack. = It’s essential that I see Jack before I phone. (Я тебе позвоню только после того, как увижусь с Джеком.)