гордон Крылова Граммматика

52 _________________________________________ Verbs. Finite Forms of The Verb

e.g. I suppose every family has a black sheep. Tom had been a sore trial to his for twenty years. He was not aware how

long he had sat there. At ten o'clock he awoke and remembered that he hadn't seen

Lily since Saturday. He told me he had been badly ill since he returned from

abroad.

Note. Note that in clauses of time introduced by since the Past Indefinite is commonly used (see the example above).

3) In adverbial clauses of time introduced by the conjunctions when, before, after, as soon as and till/until to express a future action viewed from the past. It shows that the action of the sub ordinate clause will be completed before the action of the princi pal clause which is usually expressed by the Future-in-the-Past.

This use of the Past Perfect is structurally dependent as it is restricted only to the above-mentioned type of clauses. Besides, it is found only in reported speech.

e.g. It was desperately early; he took up his book again, making up his mind that he would not look at his watch till he had read thirty pages.

You would have to talk to him before he had made up his mind.

4) To express unreal actions. (For this see "Verbs", §§122126, 132-133, 144, 146-149, 153, 162.)

§ 31. As has been said above, the Past Perfect is usually found in past-time contexts (see the examples above). However, it may also be used in present-time contexts in its various meanings. Yet even in this case its use is related not to the moment of speaking but to a definite past moment expressed or understood from the context or situation.

e.g. "We only learned about it before dinner," said Muriel. "We had not expected anything so fantastic." Roy hesitated. "I don't know whether Mother has told you, Grace," he said, "but a friend of mine is arriving today." "Yes, I had heard," said Grace.

Tense, Aspect and Phase _______________________________________________ 53

"Did you know the average housewife walks ten miles a day about the house? I heard so on the radio today." "I hadn't thought about it," he said.

§ 32. Note the following sentence patterns in which the Past Perfect is or may be used:

1) In a simple sentence or in two co-ordinate sentences the Past Perfect is often used in combination with the Past Continuous when both actions are viewed from the same past moment. The definite moment need not be indicated in this case as the pattern itself shos that the actions are related to the same past moment. One action is accomplished before that implied moment while the other one is still in progress. This pattern is very widely used.

e.g. Ann had risen and was peering over his shoulder.

She had got up, and was breathing deeply, with her lips parted and her cheeks very flushed.

All along the walls people were standing and at the far end of the square boys had climbed into the trees.

As he went down the stairs I walked across to my window and pulled the curtains. The sky had cleared and the moon was shining on the snow.

With stative verbs and with some dynamic verbs of durative meaning the Past Indefinite is used instead of the Past Continuous in this pattern.

e.g. The rain had passed and the air was fresh and sweet.

She had changed her wet clothes and wore a light cotton dress.

2) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time in troduced by the conjunction when. The time relations between the action of the when-clause and that of the principal clause may be of various kinds: the action of the principal clause may follow the action of the when-clause, be fully or partially simultaneous with it and even occasionally precede it. Accordingly, different finite forms are used in the principal and the subordinate clauses:

a) The most commonly occurring kind of time relation is when the action of the principal clause closely follows that of the when- clause — the two actions form a succession of actions. The Past Indefinite is usually used in both clauses in this case.

e.g. When they reached Grosvenor Square, Angela got out of the taxi and looked about her, puzzled.

When she returned with the grammar, she drew a chair near his and sat down beside him.

Yet sometimes, with the same time relation between the two actions, we find the Past Perfect in the when-cl&use. It is used in this case to emphasize the completion of the action in the subordinate clause and the when-cl&use then is close in meaning to that of the clause of time introduced by the conjunction after (see further below, p. 55).

e.g. When they had shown him round, fed him on their best, and thrust him into their softest chair, they eagerly demanded news.

In a moment the butler came in, to clear up. When he had left again, she said: "Your servant is an honest man, isn't he?"

b) When the two actions are partially simultaneous, the Past Continuous is usually found in the principal clause and the Past Indefinite in the u>Aen-clause. The former represents the action in its duration. The latter indicates a shorter action which occurs at a certain moment of the development of the action in the princi pal clause.

e.g. Later that night, I was reading in my sitting-room when the bell rang. When he returned to the room she was sitting

by the fire.

With stative verbs and some dynamic verbs of durative meaning, the same time relation is expressed by the Past Indefinite in the principal clause.

e.g. He was still in a state of uncertainty when his brother returned with a letter in his hand. When the car stopped in front of the door he looked dazed.

c) When the two actions are fully simultaneous, the Past In definite is generally used in both clauses.

e.g. Ann Chester looked her best when she smiled.

I often felt sincere admiration when I talked to him.

Tense, Aspect and Phase ________________________________________________55

Note. The same time relations as described under (a), (b) and (c) may be found in this sentence pattern when the Past Perfect has to be used in the principal clause to mark a step back in narration whereas the Past Indefinite remains unchanged in the иЛеп-clause. e.g. My friendship with Roy became the deepest of my life. I had met him first

when he was a boy of fifteen.

Ashenden remembered the iron grip he had given him when they shook hands and slightly shuddered.

d) Occasionally the action of the principal clause may precede that of the subordinate clause. In this case the Past Perfect is used in the principal clause and the Past Indefinite in the u>ften-clause.

e.g. He walked at my side under the trees by the edge of the park. When he next spoke his tone had changed. When he returned to the living-room, his wife hadn't moved, and the radio continued to play into the silence.

3) In a complex sentence with a u>Aen-clause containing the Past Indefinite in the subordinate clause and the negative form of the Past Perfect in the principal clause.

e.g. I hadn't been in the pub two minutes when somebody brought Tom in for a drink.

I hadn't gone a hundred yards from the corner when I noticed there was a car behind me.

Note that there is always some indication of measure mentioned in the principal clause. Sentences of this kind are generally rendered in Russian as не прошло и двух минут, как я пришел в бар, как..., не прошел я и ста ярдов, как... .

4) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time in troduced by the conjunction as soon as when the action of the principal clause closely follows that of the subordinate clause. The two actions form a kind of a succession of actions. Hence, the Past Indefinite is normally used in both parts of the sentence.

e.g. As soon as I had the chance I asked Mary-Ann what she knew of the incident.

As soon as she arrived in my flat, she busied herself tidying it up.

Occasionally the Past Perfect may be found in the subordinate clause where it is used to emphasize the completion of the action

56 __________________________________________Verbs. Finite Forms of The Verb

and then the meaning of the subordinate clause is close to that of the subordinate clause of time introduced by the conjunction after (see below).

e.g. As soon as he had gone, I spoke to Hanna.

5) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time intro duced" by the conjunction after (the action of the principal clause follows that of the after-clause). Generally, the Past Perfect is found in the after-clause and the Past Indefinite in the principal clause.

e.g. After I had dressed, I went up to Roy's room, and found him in shirt-sleeves and black waistcoat studying his image in the mirror.

After he had been through the grammar repeatedly, he took up the dictionary and added twenty words a day to his vocabulary.

The Past Perfect is used in the after-clause with terminative as well as durative verbs. With terminative verbs, however, the Past Perfect may be replaced by the Past Indefinite.

e.g. Shortly after we returned from Basel, Roy moved to London. After we rose from the table, James immediately went to make a telephone call.

6) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time in troduced by the conjunctions till or until when the action of the principal clause is an action of some duration and precedes that of the subordinate clause. Usually the Past Indefinite is found in both the principal and the subordinate clause.

e.g. He read the manuscripts until he was dead tired.

I did not see him again till he returned to England for the summer.

Sometimes, however, the Past Perfect is used in the till/until- clause to show that the action of the principal clause stopped only after the action of the subordinate clause was accomplished.

e.g. That evening I took out a deck-chair, sat under one of the apple-trees, and read until the summer sky had darkened and I could not make out the print. He waited till she had regained a certain calm.

Tense, Aspect and Phase ________________________________________________57

7) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time introduced by the conjunction before, in which there may be two kinds of time relations between the two actions:

a) The action of the principal clause precedes that of the be- fore-clause. Hence, the Past Perfect is found in the principal clause and the Past Indefinite in the subordinate clause.

e.g. Madge had given Dace a set of keys before they left the farm on Wednesday morning. • He had heard the news

before he ran up my stairs.

Sentences of this kind are rendered in Russian by means of do

того как..., прежде чем..., перед тем как... .

Actually, however, the Past Indefinite is by far more common in the principal clause, especially with terminative verbs.

e.g. He knocked at the door twice before a muffled voice asked: "Who's there?" It happened

before you came.

b) The action of one of the clauses is not fully accomplished before the action of the other clause occurs. The unaccomplished action is expressed by the Past Perfect. Sometimes there are indi cations of measure in such sentences.

If the unaccomplished action is expressed in the principal clause, its predicate verb is always negative in form.

e.g. They had not gone four miles before he understood that it was going to rain.

He had not been there for two days before he admitted that he should not have accepted the invitation.

Sentences of this kind are best rendered in Russian as не успе-

ли они... как, не успев проехать и... , etc.

If the unaccomplished action is expressed in the subordinate clause, its predicate verb is affirmative in form but negative in meaning.

<

e.g. I realized before you had been here a fortnight that you never were cut for this life.

I discovered the news before I had been in the house for an hour.

Sentences of this kind are generally rendered in Russian as не прошло и двух недель... как, не пробыл я в доме и часа... как, etc.

8) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time introduced by the correlatives scarcely... when, hardly... when, nearly... when, and no sooner... than, the time relation between the two actions is of a specific character — the action of the subordinate clause takes place when the action of the principal clause is hardly accomplished yet. Hence, the Past Perfect is found in the principal clause and the Past Indefinite in the subordinate clause. Such sentences are emphatic in meaning and scarcely, hardly and no sooner may be placed at the head of the sentence with an inverted word order following.

e.g. He had scarcely entered the room when in a chair by the door he perceived Ann Chester.

She had hardly sat down when a very stout gentleman wearing a very small hat flopped into the chair opposite hers.

No sooner, however, had they established themselves in the house than he perceived to his dismay a return of her gloomy mood.

Note. When scarcely, hardly and nearly are used as adverbs and not as correlatives, they may be associated with different finite forms whose choice is determined by the situation.

e.g. He did not hate her, he scarcely seemed aware of her presence. I hardly know what to say.

The Past Perfect Continuous

§ 33. The Past Perfect Continuous is an analytical form which is built up by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the Past Perfect and the ing-form of the notional verb (e.g. / had been working. He had been working, etc.). (On the formation of the ing-form see "Verbs", § 11.)

In the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject (e.g. Had you been working? Had she been working?, etc.). In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary (e.g. We had not been working. They had not been working, etc.). In spoken English the contracted forms I'd, he'd, she'd, we'd, you'd, they'd are used in affirmative and hadn't in negative sentences.

§ 34. The Past Perfect Continuous has two different uses which will be further referred to as Past Perfect Continuous I and Past Perfect Continuous II.

1) Past Perfect Continuous I serves to express an action which began before a given past moment and continued into it or up to it. In this meaning it is parallel to Past Perfect II (see "Verbs", § 30, 2). Past Perfect Continuous I may be used with the same in dications of time as are already described in "Verbs", § 16, 2.

e.g. She suddenly realized that it was now completely dark and that she had been walking for a long while.

He knew what she had been thinking about since she received the telegram.

Grant Melville was charming, and quite a famous painter. He had been coming to North Cornwall for years, he had a shack up in the hills.

Ashenden assembled the observations that he had been making for the past few days.

The Past Perfect Continuous can be used with dynamic verbs of both durative and terminative meaning (see the examples above). Stative verbs express this meaning with the help of Past Perfect II (see "Verbs", § 30, 2). Past Perfect II is possible with dynamic verbs of durative meaning but it is not found at all with terminative verbs.

2) Past Perfect Continuous II serves to express an action which was in progress just before a given past moment and it af fects the past situation in some way. The precise time limits of the action are not specified. In this meaning the Past Perfect Con tinuous is not parallel to Past Perfect II.

Past Perfect Continuous II is, as a rule, not associated with any indications of time.

e.g. Winifred rose from the chair* in which she had been sitting. Adeline, who had been helping her mother, now joined them. She and Sylvia talked in high excited tones about an anthology

of poetry they had been reading.

Half-heartedly I asked what she had been thinking about. Adeline came across the lawn to meet him, carrying roses she

had been cutting.

I

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§35. In negative sentences the Past Perfect Continuous is not common; the Past Perfect (Non-Continuous) is preferred in them when the negation refers to the action itself but not to its circumstances (see also "Verbs", § 19).

e.g. I knew they had not corresponded for years.

§ 36. It is noteworthy that Past Perfect Continuous I and particularly Past Perfect Continuous II may sometimes be found with stative verbs.

e.g. Beside the porch he stopped to examine the web of a spider which he had been noticing for a week or more.

Certainly the medicine had steadied her; the sinking feeling she had been having was all gone.

Over tea she tried to find out whether I had been seeing Sheila.

§ 37. Note some sentence patterns in which the Present Perfect Continuous or the Past Perfect Continuous is found:

1) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time in troduced by since, whose action indicates the starting point of the action in the principal clause. Hence, the Past Indefinite is used in the sirace-clause. As to the principal clause, the Present Perfect Continuous (or Present Perfect II) is used in it in present-time contexts (a) and the Past Perfect Continuous (or Past Perfect II) in past-time contexts (b).

e.g. a) "They are bombs. You could blow the roof of the whole of this building with what I've got here," said the lunatic. "I've been carting them from room to room since the war began." I've known him since we were kids.

b) Michael rose and clutched his hat. Wilfred had said exactly what he himself had really been thinking ever since he came.

Mr Bentley was a publisher because ever since he was a boy he had had a liking for books.

2) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time in troduced by the conjunctions while and since or by some connec tive words and expressions such as as long as, during the week, in

Tense, Aspect and Phase________________________________________________ 6_/

the short time (that), all the time (that), etc. The actions in both clauses may be parallel, starting at the same time in the past and continuing either into or up to the moment of speaking in presenttime contexts (a) or into or up to a given past moment in past-time contexts (b). Accordingly, the Present Perfect Continuous (or Present Perfect II) is used in both clauses in the former case and the Past Perfect Continuous (or Past Perfect II) in the latter case.

e.g. a) Our friendship has been growing all the time we've been working on the project.

I've been rather shut in since we've been here, with all this bad weather.

b) We had been sitting on our beds while George had been telling me this true story.

The suit had been neither pressed nor brushed since he had had it.

3) In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of time introduced by the conjunction when. The action of the subordinate clause may serve to indicate a given past moment into or up to which the action of the principal clause, that had begun before that moment, continued. The duration of the action is indicated by some adverbial modifier of time. Accordingly, the Past Indefinite is found in the when-clause and the Past Perfect Continuous (or Past Perfect II) in the principal clause. It should be noted that this is a very commonly occurring pattern.

e.g. He had been sitting by the fire for nearly an hour when his mother came into the room with a letter in her hands. They had been walking for less than an hour when the moon suddenly appeared between the heavy clouds.

The Future Indefinite

§ 38. The Future Indefinite is an analytical form which is built up by means of the auxiliary verbs shall (for the first person, singular and plural) and will (for the second and third persons, singular and plural) and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to (e.g. I shall see him tomorrow. He will see them tomorrow. You will see them tomorrow, etc.).

62 _______________________________________________________________ Verbs. Finite Forms of The Verb

It should be mentioned that in present-day English there is a tendency to use will for all the persons. Besides, the difference in the use of shall and will disappears altogether in spoken English where the contracted form 'U is used with all the persons (e.g. I'll see him tomorrow. She'll see him tomorrow. They'll see him tomorrow, etc.).

The auxiliary verbs shall and will are used to build up the interrogative and the negative forms, too (e.g. Shall we see you tomorrow? Will they see him tomorrow? I shall not see you tomorrow. You will not see me tomorrow, etc.').

In spoken English the contracted forms shan't and won't are commonly used in negative sentences.

§ 39. The Future Indefinite is found only in present-time contexts. It is by far the most common oi all the finite forms referring an action to the future. Although it is widely used in English, it is somewhat restricted in its application owing to a number of reasons which will be dealt with below.

The Future Indefinite may be used to express:

1) a single point action that will be completed in the future,

e.g. It will ruin her.

I know I'm right, and one of these days you'll realize it. 2) an action occupying a whole period of time in the future,

e.g. I think I shall remain in love with you all my life. I hope you'll live for many years.

3) a succession of actions in the future,

e.g. I shall wait in the next room and come back when she's gone. We'll just talk about the weather and the crops for a few minutes and then we'll have dinner.

4) some recurrent actions in the future,

e.g. I shall come along as often as possible.

I hope we shall see something of you while you are in London.

5) some permanent future actions generally characterizing the person denoted by the subject of the sentence,

e.g. I'm afraid he'll be a bit lonely, poor darling.

The old age pension will keep me in bread, tea and onions, and what more does an old man want?

Tense, Aspect and Phase________________________________________________ 63

The Future Continuous

§ 40. The Future Continuous is an analytical form which is built up by means of the auxiliary verb to be in the Future Indefinite and the ing-form of the notional verb (e.g. / shall be seeing him often now. He will be seeing them often now, etc.). (On the formation of the Future Indefinite see "Verbs", § 38; on the formation of the in^-form see "Verbs", § 11.)

I» the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject (e.g. Shall I be seeing him often now? Will he be seeing them often now?, etc.). In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary (e.g. I shall not be seeing him often now. He will not be seeing them often now, etc.).

In spoken English the contracted form '11 is used with all the persons in affirmative sentences and shan't and won't in negative sentences.

§41. The Future Continuous is used in the following cases:

1)To express an action in progress at a definite future moment. The precise time limits of the action are not specified and the fu ture moment at which the action takes place is usually indicated by an adverbial modifier or is clear from the context or situation.

e.g. We'll just be beginning the experiments then, and my contract here ends this summer.

Now I feel absolutely dopy. God knows what I shall be saving in a minute.

However, in present-day English this original meaning of the Future Continuous is not so common since it is seldom required by the situation.

2) To express an action which the speaker expects to take place in the future in the natural course of events. It may be used with or without time indications and generally refers to the near future though it is also possible to use it for a more distant future.

e.g. I feel I shall be asking you the same question tomorrow. Maurice is tired. He will be coming to bed directly.

"You haven't been out for a week," his mother said. "Five days," Vincent put down his paper. "You'll be taking root in that armchair. Your face is growing paler every day."

64 _________________________________________ Verbs. Finite Forms of The Verb

He yawned. "Another five minutes and I'll be explaining the law of gravity to another set of my pupils. I'll be making the same old jokes and they'll be laughing at them in the same old way."

Bob will not be coming. He's been taken ill.

This use should be regarded as the main application of the Future Continuous in modern English.

§ 42. Note the following examples in which the Future Continuous is used with stative verbs.

e.g. "What's your brother like? I shall be knowing him at Ox ford," said Val.

' Harris said, "We shall be wanting to start in less than twelve hours' time."

"What sort of house has Laura?" "I didn't notice. I shan't be seeing her again in any case."

The Future Perfect

§ 43. The Future Perfect is an analytical form which is built up by means of the auxiliary verb to have in the Future Indefinite and the participle of the notional verb (e.g. / shall have read the book by that time, He will have read the book by that time, etc.). (On the formation of the Future Indefinite see "Verbs", § 38; on the formation of the participle see "Verbs", § 5.)

In the interrogative form the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject (e.g. Will she have read the book by that time? Will you have read the book by that time?, etc.). In the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the first auxiliary (e.g. We shall not have read the book by that time. They will not have read the book by that time, etc.).

In spoken English the contracted form '11 is used with all the persons in affirmative sentences and shan't and won't in negative sentences.

§ 44. The Future Perfect is used to express an action accomplished before a given future moment which is usually indicated by an adverbial modifier.

Tense, Aspect and Phase ________________________________________________65

e.g. I daresay you'll have gone to bed by the time I've finished. I suppose we shall have made up our minds whom we are going to elect before the meeting.

The Future Perfect is not used very often owing to the fact that it is seldom required by the situation.

Different Mean» of Expressing Future Actions Compared

.§ 45. All future actions are by nature hypothetical. Owing to that, ways of expressing future actions — in addition to the meaning of futurity — are often associated with various other modal meanings, such as intention, willingness, readiness, obligation, assurance, expectation and the like. That explains why English is rich in means of referring an action to the future.

§ 46. The following is a description of different means of expressing future actions in present-day English:'

1) The Present Continuous is used to express a future action as definitely settled due to one's previous decision. The action is going to take place in the near future and the time is, as a rule, indicated in the sentence by means of such adverbial modifiers as tonight, next week, in a few days, etc.

e.g. She is coming to lunch on Thursday. You know, I'm going away tonight.

Are you staying long?

Teddie is leaving here by the first train tomorrow. Patrick, are we doing anything at the weekend?

This use of the Present Continuous is also possible without any time indications and then the action refers to the immediate future.

e.g. It's Fred. He's going to Italy and wants to say good-bye. I'm just going upstairs to change and pack. I'm sorry you are leaving England. And now I must go as we are dining out.

1 Some of these forms can be regarded as purely grammatical ways of expressing future actions; others are on the border-line between lexical and grammatical means.

5 Зак. 173

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Note. Note that in questions beginning with when the Present Continuous always refers the action to the future.

e.g. When is he coming? When are you going back?

When the Present Continuous is used to refer an aqtion to the future, the action is regarded as fixed and the speaker is certain that it will take place.

With stative verbs the Future Indefinite should be applied to refer an action to the future.

2) The Future Continuous is also one of the means of express ing future actions. It is described in detail in "Verbs", § 41.

The difference between the Present Continuous used to denote a future action and the Future Continuous becomes quite evident if we compare the following sentences:

e.g. We are meeting tomorrow (= we have arranged to meet tomorrow, we have fixed the date of our meeting). We shall be meeting tomorrow (= not because of some arrangement but in the normal course of events; either because we work together, or because we attend classes together, or regularly play some game at the same place and at the same time, etc.).

3) To be + infinitive (with to), like the Present Continuous, serves to indicate a previous arrangement, but in addition to that meaning it generally implies obligation resulting from that ar rangement. Besides, it differs from the Present Continuous in that it does not necessarily refer the action to the near future. The verb to be in this combination is regarded as a modal verb.

Since a previous arrangement is the basic meaning of this combination and the action always refers to the future, no special indication of time is needed in the sentence, though the time may be mentioned if necessary.

e.g. I've had a letter from home. I'm to go back at once.

This autumn he is entering the Military College. He is to make the Army his career.

The meaning of obligation may become so strong that "to be + infinitive" sometimes expresses orders or instructions which are to be carried out in the future.

Tense, Aspect and Phase ________________________________________________67

e.g. Milly, you are not to talk like that in front of the child.

4) To be going to + infinitive is an important means of referring an action to the future which is frequently used in modern English. It is convenient to refer to it as the "going-to form".

The "going-to form" may have the following meanings:

a) It serves to express premeditated intention which means that the person denoted by the subject has been planning for some time to perform the action, has been thinking of it, that some preparation for the action has been in progress. Indications of time are optional in this case.

e.g. I'm not going to live at home.

I'm going to say something dreadful to you, Dorothy. I'm going to tell him what I think of him.

He's not going to make any concessions. Are you going to play tennis?

What are you going to do about it? She's going to explain that tomorrow.

Oh, I'm not going to marry for years yet.

Note. The verb to go is actually not the Present Continuous here. It is the Present Continuous only in form; its use has become idiomatic in this combination.

Although this means of referring an action to the future is frequently found in English, its application is somewhat restricted — it is mainly found with dynamic verbs. An important exception to the rule, however, is the verb to be which often occurs in this construction.

e.g. He's going to be a solicitor.

Of course, the trip's going to be wonderful.

The verbs to go and to come are rarely found with the "goingto form". Thus, He is going to go or He is going to come are uncommon in English. These verbs are generally used in the Present Continuous instead.

e.g. Oh, are you going to Italy? Are you coming, Mother?

b) It may also be used to show the speaker's feeling that the action is imminent, that it is unavoidable in the near future. No indication of time is generally needed in this case.

68 _________________________________________ Verbs. Finite Forms of The Verb

e.g. I don't know what is going to happen.

"The next few years," said George, "are going to be a wonderful time to be alive." Oh, what is going to become of us? I'm afraid I'm going to cry.

5)The Present Indefinite is also an important means of ex pressing future actions. It is used in four different cases which have been described in "Verbs", § 10, 4.

6)The Future Indefinite. After all the other means of express ing future actions have been described, it is now necessary to see what remains for the Future Indefinite proper to express.

In the first place it should be pointed out that the Future Indefinite is used differently with dynamic and stative verbs.

With stative verbs the Future Indefinite is used to express any action referring to the future, without any restrictions.

e.g. His suggestion will interest you enormously. You'll think his ideas absurd. She'll know the truth soon. Don't bother, I shall manage all right by myself. Dad will never consent to our marriage. It'll be rather fun coming up to town to eat my dinners. I'll be back presently.

We shall have some news for you to take to your people. It will not make much difference to me.

The other means of expressing future actions are not common with stative verbs — some of them seem to be impossible with these verbs (e.g. the Present Continuous, the Future Continuous, partly the Present Indefinite) while others are uncommon (e.g. the

"going-to form").

Although the number of stative verbs is limited, they are in frequent use, which makes the role of the Future Indefinite very important in English.

With dynamic verbs the Future Indefinite is used freely only under certain conditions:

a) In the principal clause of a complex sentence with a clause of time, condition and concession.'

1 In the subordinate clauses we find the Present Indefinite or the Present Perfect (see "Verbs", § 10, 4 and § 16, 3).

Tense, Aspect and Phase ________________________________________________69

e.g. "We shall catch the train if we start now," she insisted. You're the prettiest woman I've ever known and I shall say

the same when you're a hundred. As soon as we have had tea, Fred, we shall go to inspect your

house. We'll talk about it whenever he comes.

Other means of expressing future actions are uncommon in this case. * b) In passive constructions.

e.g. He'll be voted down.

My chief will be informed of your request. She will be paid in cash.

c) To express a succession of actions in the future. No other means seems to be suitable here.

e.g. I shall prepare you a nice little dinner and then we'll leave

you.

I'll take a walk to the sea and on my way back I'll buy you a newspaper.

d) When the time of the realization of the action is indefinite or when its realization is remote.

e.g. We shall meet again one day. Life will teach her a lesson. He'll never sell his little cottage.

Such sentences often contain adverbial modifiers of indefinite time, e.g. always, forever, in future, never, some day and the like.

e) To denote actions whose realization is uncertain, doubtful or merely supposed, as their fulfilment depends on some implied condition.

e.g. You mustn't cry. Please, don't, or I shall go to pieces. Protest as you like, Mr Pyke, it won't alter my decision.

In this case we sometimes find such attitudinal adverbs in the sentence as perhaps, probably, of course and the like.

e.g. They'll probably get a lot of satisfaction out of our quarrel. Of course he will send you a letter in a few days.

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f) In object clauses after verbs (and their equivalents) expressing personal views or opinions, such as to be afraid, to believe, to be sure, to doubt, to expect, to have no doubt, to hope, to imagine, to know, to suppose, to suspect, to think, to wonder and the like. Sometimes these verbs are used in parenthesis.

e.g. He thinks a scandal will ruin his reputation. I don't know what I shall do without you. I'm afraid he won't talk to you. I've no doubt you'll explain it perfectly. His new novel is (I'm quite sure of it) another masterpiece.

On the whole it should be noted that although other means of expressing futurity can also be used under the conditions described above (a, b, c, d, e, f), they are applied when their meaning is specially required.

§ 47. If dynamic verbs are used in the Future Indefinite under conditions other than those described above, the sentences become modally coloured. This occurs owing to the fact that the auxiliaries shall and will preserve their modal meanings.

Thus shall preserves its original meaning of obligation, if somewhat modified, with the 2nd and 3rd persons in sentences expressing promise, threat or warning.

e.g. I promise you, Arthur, that Harold shan't do anything about it. He shall have a scandal. He shall have the worst scandal there has been in London for years.

Shall also preserves its modal meaning when it is used in asking after the will of the person addressed.

e.g. Shall I bring you some coffee? Oh, Alfred, what shall we do?

Will (in print will or 41) is often used in affirmative sentences with the first person, singular and plural, to express such meanings as wish, willingness, readiness, intention, determination to perform an action.

e.g. I'll do what I can.

I'll go wherever you take me.

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Will in sentences of this kind also shows that the speaker offers to perform an action.

e.g. I'll go and get a drink for you.

I'll wire to have the room ready for them. I'll come with you, Barbara.

In affirmative sentences will with the 2nd and 3rd persons may occasionally express a command.

e.£. You will come here tomorrow not later than ten, Mr Lickcheese. Bernard will pay the taxi.

In negative sentences will expresses refusal to perform an action.

e.g. I won't argue with you. He won't be ordered about.

In general questions, direct and indirect, as well as in disjunctive questions, will also preserves its modal meaning and the interrogative sentence is actually to be understood as a request or an invitation.

e.g. Will you ask him to ring me back?

You'll wait for us, won't you? Oh, ask him if he won't come in.

The same is true of complex sentences with an if-clause in which will is used to express willingness or consent.

e.g. Oh, but we shall be delighted if you'll lunch with us. Will may express supposition.

e.g. As she entered the room, the telephone rang. "That'll be your mother," Jenny said to her husband.

For a detailed treatment of the modal verbs shall and will see "Verbs", §§ 105, 113-116.

§ 48. By way of exception to the above rules, dynamic verbs may occasionally be found in the Future Indefinite to express mere futurity without any additional modal meanings. This use of