Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Past Continuous
Hi!
I've got a problem connected with the difference between these two pairs of sentences. I hope you can help me.
1.I painted my room yeaterday./I read a book yesterday.
2. I was painting my room yesterday./I was reading a book yesterday.
It's obvious that in the case of (2), I focus on the action itself, not on its effect; the action might have been completed (I know the whole book or all the walls in my room are painted) or not , it's not sated and it's not important here. Right?
However, (1) is a little bit more problematic for me. The first thing that comes to my mind is that these actions were completed yesterday (I don't have to go back to them). It's the most probable interpretation, I think. But is it also possible to produce (1) and mean that the action took place yesterday at some time (e.g. from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and was not completed (as in sentences number 2); I have to finish it today, tomorrow, next week, etc. In other words, is it possible that these actions expressed in the Past Simple tense were not completed and I have to go back to them later? Does the speaker always mean that the action is completed when he creates such a sentence in the Past Simple tense?
I've got a problem connected with the difference between these two pairs of sentences. I hope you can help me.
1.I painted my room yeaterday./I read a book yesterday.
2. I was painting my room yesterday./I was reading a book yesterday.
It's obvious that in the case of (2), I focus on the action itself, not on its effect; the action might have been completed (I know the whole book or all the walls in my room are painted) or not , it's not sated and it's not important here. Right?
However, (1) is a little bit more problematic for me. The first thing that comes to my mind is that these actions were completed yesterday (I don't have to go back to them). It's the most probable interpretation, I think. But is it also possible to produce (1) and mean that the action took place yesterday at some time (e.g. from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and was not completed (as in sentences number 2); I have to finish it today, tomorrow, next week, etc. In other words, is it possible that these actions expressed in the Past Simple tense were not completed and I have to go back to them later? Does the speaker always mean that the action is completed when he creates such a sentence in the Past Simple tense?
Top answer
1. The sentences are fine. Action completed.
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1. The sentences are fine. Action completed.
2. With yesterday, the "sentences" appear incomplete to me. Add a subordinate clause with a simple past tense verb:
I was painting my room yesterday when the phone rang.
I was readi
2. With yesterday, the "sentences" appear incomplete to me. Add a subordinate clause with a simple past tense verb:
I was painting my room yesterday when the phone rang.
I was readi
0