Using the past
If it happened only an instant ago, it's still past
Here is a cute situation involving the
two little brothers in the photo. You'll notice that the older brother
uses the past tense for something that happened only an instant ago. It
happened, so it's past. Notice also, that the boy used two irregular
verbs forms, i.e., forms that didn't end in ed. What are the
verb forms? What are their present (root) forms? When you are ready,
click on the photo to see the video.Describing the video
When you watch the video for the first time, it is natural to use a present type of tense. In this case, the action in the video happened over a period of time (it had duration), so the present progressive is the natural tense to you.
For example, what is happening in the photo to
the left?Charlie, the younger brother, ________ __________ his older brother.
If you discuss the video after you have seen it, it is natural to use the past progressive for the situation in the photo. What was happening in the photo?.
Oh yes, what do you say in English when you feel sharp pain?
Answers:
root: bite past: bit
root: hurt past: hurt
Charlie, the younger brother, is biting his older brother.
Charlie was biting his older brother.
Ouch!!