1. (i) What is the difference in meaning between the following sentences?
(ii) Identify the grammatical structure underlined in each sentence
(a) When I arrived at the station the train left
(b) When I arrived at the station, the train was leaving
(c) When I arrived at the station the train had left
(a) She had her house painted
(b) She had painted her house
(a) He stopped to smoke a cigarette
(b) He stopped smoking cigarettes
(a) You must see him
(b) You must have seen him
1. (a) When I arrived at the station the train left Underlined grammatical structure = Present tense (b) When I arrived at the station, the train was leaving Underlined grammatical structure = Future tense (c) When I arrived at the station the train had left Underlined grammatical structure = Past tense
Difference in meaning = These are statements of situation at a particular time, Past, Present and Future.
2. (a) She had her house painted Underlined grammatical structure = Past tense (b) She had painted her house Underlined grammatical structure = Past tense
Difference in meaning = splitting the verb means that the painting was done by different subjects in each of the sentences.
3. (a) He stopped to smoke a cigarette Underlined grammatical structure = Verb (b) He stopped smoking cigarettes Underlined grammatical structure = Noun
Difference in meaning = changing the verb into a noun by adding .ing makes the sentence change from explaining something which he currently does do into something which he no longer does.
4. (a) You must see him Underlined grammatical structure = Must is a modal verb that helps to emphasise that the speaker wants the subject to see him (b) You must have seen him Underlined grammatical structure = Modal + action verb
Difference in meaning = (a) means to do in the future and (b) means in the past
Top answer
I'm not sure, but I think you have made a mess of some of them. (a) When I arrived at the station the train left -- 'Left' is simple past; the train left after she arrived (b) When I arrived at the station, the train was leaving-- ' Was leaving is past progressive'; the arrival and departure are simultaneous. (c) When I arrived at the station the train had left-- 'Had left' is past perfect; the train left before she arrived.
— Mister Micawber
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Thanks for the speedy help in identifying the correct tenses, I also have to identify the grammatical structure underlined and the difference in meaning between each set of sentences, any ideas?
I have already indicated precisely the difference in meanings. I leave the underlying structures to you, since I have no idea what your teacher is on about.