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The Past Indefinite

§ 2. The use of the Past Indefinite.

The Past Indefinite denotes an action performed within a period of time, which is already over. The action is cut off from the present. The time of the action may be indicated by adverbials of past time, such as yesterday, a week ago, last year, etc.

The sun came out a moment ago.

Miss Helstone stayed the whole evening. (Ch.Bronte)

The Past Indefinite can correspond to the Russian past perfective and past imperfective (совершенный и несовершенный вид глагола).

He smoked a cigarette and left the room.

He smoked in silence for a few minutes.

The translation depends on the context and the lexical character of the verb.

The Past Indefinite is used to denote:

a) an action performed in the past.

Shakespeare died in 1616.

We went to the theatre last night.

When did she come?

b) a succession of past actions.

In this case the Past Indefinite is rendered in Russian by the past perfective.

He threw down his spade and entered the house. (Ch. Bronte)

Он бросил лопату и вошел в дом

c) repeated actions in the past.

In this case the Past Indefinite is rendered in Russian by the past imperfective.

He made an entry in his diary every night. (Bennett)

Каждый вечер он делал запись в дневнике.

Note. –Repeated actions are often expressed by used to+ Infinitive and would+ Infinitive. Used to is more colloquial and would is more literary.

Sometimes used to denotes actions characterizing a person or action and states which lasted a long time.

I used to play tennis a lot but I don't play very often now.

Diane used to travel a lot. These days she doesn't go away so often.

Do you go to the cinema very often?' 'Not now, but I used to. (= I used to go...)

This building is now a furniture shop. It used to be a cinema.

I used to think he was unfriendly but now I realize he's a very nice person.

I've started drinking coffee recently. I never used to like it before.

Janet used to have very long hair when she was a child.

Used to do something is past. There is no present form. You cannot say I use to do. To talk about the present, use the Present Indefinite (I do).

We used to live in a small village but now we live in London.

There used to be four cinemas in the town. Now there is only one.

The Future Indefinite

§ 3. The use of the Future Indefinite.

The Future Indefinite is used to denote a future action.

I am tired. I shall go and have a nap before dinner.

It will be much cooler up at Fiesole. (Voynich)

Note. – To denote a future action the word combinations to be going + Infinitive, to be about+ Infinitive and to be on the point of + Gerund are often used.

To be going to, to be about to, to be on the point of denote an action, which is, expected to take place in the nearest future. To be going to is colloquial, to be on the point of is literary.

This is going to be a cheerful evening. (Shaw)

The runners are about to start.

The Future Indefinite is rendered in Russian by the future perfective and imperfective.

The Future Indefinite is used:

a) To predict the future or to say what we think will happen:

Tomorrow will be another cold day.

In future, machines will do many of the jobs that people do today.

Who do you think will win the match on Sunday?

We also use will in this way with the adverbs of probability probably, perhaps, certainly:

Perhaps, I’ll see you tomorrow.

b) Will is used to express decision made at the moment of speaking:

«I’m going shopping.»– «Oh, are you? I’ll come with you, then.»

c ) Will also used to make statements of fact about the future:

I’ll be forty next month.

In everyday English we do not normally announce future arrangements about ourselves with will. The Present Continuous is used instead:

I’ll leave England in June. (formal)

I’m leaving England in June. (more natural)

In general the Future Indefinite Tense is seldom used in Modern English. The tendency is to denote a future action either by means of the Present Continuous Tense or, which is most common, by means of the Future Continuous Tense, or by means of the word combination to be going to + Infinitive.

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