O Homem Como Produto Da Cultura

Table of contents

Introdution ……………………………………………………………….. 4

The English Tenses ………………………………………………………. 5

Conclusion ………………………………………………………………. 11

Bibliography …………………………………………………………….. 12

Introduction

In this scientific work we are going to talk about the English Tenses, moods and forms. To talk about tenses firstly is necessary to know what a verb is because there is a relationship between verb and tenses. That is the reason why they are called by verb tenses.

 

The verb tenses express the relationship between an action or event and the time. Basically the verb tense transmits the time that an action starts up to the moment that this action is spoken.

The verb tenses indicate the duration, the time that an action started and if the action expressed is completed or not. In English the Simple Present and Simple Past both are expressed through the conjugation of the main verb.

There are no imperfect tenses in English language like in Portuguese language and Spanish. The idea can be expressed by the Simple Past or by the structure: Subject + used to + main verb in infinitive. This form indicates something that was a habit in the past, but it is not a habit in the present.

Example:

I lived in Luanda province

I used to live in Luanda province.

She used to drink coffee every morning, but since she started having stomach problem she had to stop. Another structure related with the concept of the imperfect tense is: Subject + would have + a past simple. This structure is normally used to indicate a circumstance in two or more actions or situation related between them.

Example:

I would have gone to the concert if i had the money.

If i had enough time, i would have done my homework.

To express something that happened recently or a recent action, the form that we have to follow is similar of the present perfect, the structure is: Have/ has + just.

Example:

I have just finished my work.

She has just arrived

We have just seen the film

The Moods

English verbs have three moods: Indicative mood, imperative mood and subjunctive mood. The Indicative Mood (the most common) is used to state a fact or an opinion or to ask a question.

Example:

I will go to sleep now.

Do you want to sleep now?

The Imperative Mood expresses a command, gives a direction, or makes a request.

Example:

You have got to sleep now!

Please, go to sleep now.

The Subjunctive Mood expresses wish, suggestions and other attitudes, using I were and other distinctive verb forms.

Example:

If I were you, I would go to sleep now.

The Tenses

Tense is a form of verb used to indicate the time, and sometimes the continuation or complement of an action in relation to the time of speaking. There are three tenses in English: Present, Past and Future, but there are many forms to express the verb tenses.

Note: Only the indicative mood has got all the tenses.

Forms to express the present

Present Simple is used to talk about things that are always true, and things that happen repeatedly.

Example:

Dogs eat meat

My grandmother lives in Luanda province

Present Continuous is used to talk about things that are happening just around the time when we speak.

Example:

Look! The dog is eating your shoe

Iam working hard these days

Note: We can also use the Present Continuous to talk about the future.

Example:

I am seeing Busy man tomorrow.

To make the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms in the present simple we use the following structures: Subject + verb+ complement (positive), subject + verb + not + complement (negative), verb + subject + complement (interrogative).

To form the Present Continuous we use the verb to be as auxiliary and we add Ing or ING form in the main verb. The structures are: Subject + verb to be + ing form (positive), subject + verb to be + not + ing form (negative), verb to be + subject + ing form (interrogative).

Forms to express the past

Simple Past is used for complete finished actions. We often use it in stories.

Example:

They wrote ten letters yesterday.

We went to school last week.

Past Continuous is used to talk about actions which were finished at a past time.

Example:

What were you doing at 10.00 last night?

I was watching an interesting movie.

To make the positive forms we use the verb to be (was, were) as auxiliary and we add the ing form in the main verb. The structure are: Subject + verb to be (was, were) + ing form (positive form), subject + verb to be (was, were) + not + ing form (negative form), verb to be (was, were) + subject + ing form (interrogative form).

Forms to express the Future

There are three common ways to talk about the future in English:

With