Grammar: When is the past not the past? - BBC English Masterclass
Improve your English grammar with the BBC. You already know that to talk about the past in English, you have to use past tenses. But did you know that you can use past forms to talk about the present - or even the future? Watch this free online English lesson to find out how.
You’ll find a summary and an exercise on our website: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/...
More in this series:
5 ways to talk about the future:
bit.ly/bbc_masterclass_5_ways...
Using 'which' to add information:
bit.ly/bbc_masterclass_using_...
Linking words of contrast:
bit.ly/bbc_masterclass_linkin...
How to mix conditionals:
bit.ly/bbc_masterclass_mixing...
Verb patterns: 'stop buying' or 'stop to buy'?
bit.ly/bbc_masterclass_stop_b...
#learnenglish #bbcmasterclass #tenses
Transcript:
Sian
Hi, Sian here for BBC Learning English. Today we're going to look at past forms - easy, right? We use past forms to talk about things that happened in the past!
Well, it's not that simple! We also use past forms when we're not talking about the past. Here a few ways we do this.
Number 1
Listen to these two examples. Which one do you think my plan sounds less definite?
Number 1: I'm thinking of going to that party later. Or, number 2: I was thinking of going to that party later.
That's right. The second one is less definite. We use past here - I was thinking - to show that the plan isn't certain yet. I haven't made up my mind.
Number 2
Listen to these two examples. Which one sounds more polite? 1. Is your report ready yet? Or 2, I was wondering if your report was ready yet.
The second one, of course, is much more polite. We use past forms here - was wondering/was - to make the request less direct and more formal. You'll be surprised how often British people use this structure - we like being polite!
Number 3
Which of these two examples sound more urgent? It's time to leave. Or: It's time we left.
That's right - the second one sounds more urgent. The first example just means 'we should leave now': It's time to leave - the party starts in 20 minutes!
The second example, we use the past form. This conveys the idea that we should have already left! It's time we left - the party started hours ago.
Number 4
Which of these do you think sounds correct? I wish I have more time. Or, I wish I had more time.
That's right. The first one is not possible. To make wishes about the present we use the past form - I wish I had more time. We're not talking about the past here, we're talking about an unreal present situation. You could also use if only. If only I had more time.
Number 5
Which of these two examples sound less likely to happen? Suppose you lose your job. Or, Suppose you lost your job.
That's right. The second one sounds less likely to happen. We use the past after suppose or what if when we don't think something is likely to happen in the future.
That's it for this Masterclass. For more help with using past forms when you're not talking about the past, go to our website bbclearningenglish.com. Goodbye!
Пікірлер: 91
More about tenses: Sometimes when we are talking about past events, we want to refer to something that was in the future at that time. Sian's here to show you five forms you can use talk about the future in the past - and she's going to take you back to the past to do this! kzread.info/dash/bejne/aHqH0MiMZ5DVmLA.html
You are quite a master in teaching. I wish I had you as my English teacher when I was in Hong Kong. Thank you ❤
Wow! I really love the way she teaches. Your hardwork is much appreciated
I'm grateful to be learning English, that's a better tool for us that love learn English like me, greetings from Chile
Sian I love it very much with body gesture when she is explaining material . Its look that she is passsionate teacher . Thanks Sian you're the best teacher
Beautiful way of teaching.
SO useful! Thank you!
Thanks alot...the way that Sian use make the Grammar very easy to learn.
Great teach ever I saw!!!
This is the best English website I have ever seen keep going like that guys, I really appreciate your efforts.I am gonna be much more better with these kind videos I am pretty sure.
Great Class thanks
Thank you! It's very useful.
BBC learning English resource is so good , love it so much, many thanks !!
Brilliant!
thank you a lot! it's very useful lesson. i have never known about that details about using past tenses.
Thank you.
it's really interesting and well tought!!!!
Thank you
THANK YOU SO MUCH
I love the hues of these examples. Real life. Thanks.
Excellent
This is excellent.Thx.
I'm learning a lot, thanks for this channel
BBC English teaching department is a sweet shop with never ending varieties and surprises for the English learners ,
the 4th is the most obscure for me. suppose I hardly used that :) Thanks for enreaching our English, Sean! take care
These videos are very useful, thanks for your efforts and I am waiting for the more. I want a video about words related with "get" and "would".
I didn't think that I was aware of all of this by far, and i persume that's has acctully taught me something which is useful and concise, I appreciate sian for this.
Thanks maam
Thanks a lot Sian, You looks wonderful , and great topics that i never heard before. ...Keep teach us with new and wonderful topics , because you are the best teacher in BBC and also I really really love British accent
Love this serie love Sian..
Thanks a lot BBC, this is great..
Sian, I love your videos! This tip it's so hard for me, but I think I going to learning more when I try to use it. Thanks again for the tips! And sorry for my English mistakes!
@bbclearningenglish
7 жыл бұрын
Hi Emerson Vieira. Sian is glad you enjoy her videos and learn from them. No need to apologise for your English. You are keen to learn and are doing really well. Thank you for your comment.
excellent!
guys, this playlist is full of awesome and well scripted videos, love it.. BBC team thank you.. found polite way to ask reports now .. 😉
Very informative.
that said, I really enjoy learning English. the more challenges I have, the more enjoyabel it is to get them over !!
amazing
Mr.Tim and all BCC English team are very helpful to me..
Thanks. I like your channel.
Thanks..
Beautiful
Awesome
i love it so much
You are great
nice and lovely teacher
Lovely
It is really masterclass....advanced!!!!!!!!!
A wonderful lesson madam.
Hi, I am Ashu from India, and i have seen your videos. I highly appreciate the way you teach. you are a great teacher...plz keep doing new lessions on English. Thanks
Great lesson, beautiful teacher and nice view. We need lessons about " IF clause ".
@bbclearningenglish
7 жыл бұрын
Hi Ali Omar. This might help you with the IF clause: kzread.info/dash/bejne/kYGqmch7ocTbpsY.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/p3ijpMaqYNaelbw.html and one on 'if' and 'when' here kzread.info/dash/bejne/e6iJzY-Tesbbg6w.html
Thank you. I want to make the video about The deduction please!!!
Well done its snazzy 😍
Thank you! That's was fantastic!
good
i . soo hapy with these way of learing english
Lovely, Sian, as always...
@bbclearningenglish
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks again!
Shining always 💜
Teaching methods was good I like this video Sian six minutes learning English lot of vedios me saw now improve my English knowledge thanks Sian me indian one year ago I am continuing learning English
We love you Sian
very good video, i would like to know more how to used have, had, has, if there is any help?!
@bbclearningenglish
7 жыл бұрын
Hi Khaled Nageb. We are pleased you like our video. I’m not sure which particular aspect of the verb ‘to have’ you’d like to learn more about but here you’ll find a brief guide to how to form the present perfect: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/lower-intermediate/unit-11/tab/grammar And here, the past perfect: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/intermediate/unit-7/tab/grammar
@KhalidNageb
7 жыл бұрын
+bbclearningenglish thanks so much
@shahzebmalik4489
7 жыл бұрын
friend can u make conversation with on skype for English practise
Hey BBC! Thank you very much for your videos! I've got kind of a silly question for a long time but still can't seem to find the answer anywhere. I would be really grateful if you could take a look.. It is about the use of she/he with "don't" instead of "doesn't" in well-known songs (Vance Joy's Red Eye: She don't like small places, The kooks Always where I need to be, among others) I was wondering about the nature of that? Thanks in advance f Colombia!
@bbclearningenglish
7 жыл бұрын
Hi DaDO. The use of ‘don’t’ in the third person singular is not standard English. However it’s very common, especially in song lyrics.
i like Sian,I wish Sian was my english teacher here
I was wondering if I could find you in the BBC office in London.
this accent sounds so nice.
I love Rob Sian Neil Cathrin Finn and all BBC learning English crew and teachers
@metebksa4225
7 жыл бұрын
Sorry I forgot my favorite teacher is Tim
I want to become an EFL teacher in the foreseeable future and although my English is advanced, your videos are both entertaining and useful for me. Thank you for the great explanations!
@bbclearningenglish
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks Patryk and good luck in your future career :)
I like your accent
she looks lovely...
I wish I had more time to study English before my exam
Complicated!!!!!
@bbclearningenglish
Жыл бұрын
Yes, but don't worry about learning and using it all now - it just helps to make you aware that the past forms have lots of different uses :)
Sian is so cute
Thank you. If only I could speak English like the natives do... (or like the natives did?)
@dam-hu5dh
6 жыл бұрын
do
Sian, I do not want to seem rude, but my curiosity is going to kill my brain. Anyway, were the hair bothering your lips while you were talking? Or hair always do that and there is no point in moving them? Ok, you will not answer, I only needed to ask. Will you?
@bbclearningenglish
5 жыл бұрын
Hi Vitali! You aren't being rude at all! Sian said that it was a windy day and the hair was driving her mad! She also said that it happens sometimes and you learn to deal with it. it's a bit of a double-edged sword. We hope this satisfies your curiosity.
could you give The instagram of Sian please ?
@bbclearningenglish
7 жыл бұрын
Hi Emre Arslan. Sian will be happy to know you appreciate her teaching style. This is our Instagram profile for further learning: instagram.com/bbclearningenglish/
@emrearslan1541
7 жыл бұрын
+bbclearningenglish ok as she wishes :)
this kind of grammertical stuff often bothers Japanese ,,,
Thank you.
i love it so much