F2F Class Notes April 12th (Ben)

Grammar

eat / ate / (have) eaten

I eat = regular, usual

I ate = TIME IS CLEAR / FINISHED = this morning, yesterday, last night, last month, when I was a kid, when I went to Beijing, in 2012, on August 3rd

I have eaten = TIME IS UNCLEAR / UNFINISHED = already, before, never, until now, so far, recently

I have ate –> I have eaten

• Have you eaten?
• Yes, I have.
• When was it?
• I ate at 8 o’clock.

do / did / (have) done

I have done many things today. This morning, I did my homework.

meet / met / (have) met

I have never met Ben –> until now. Maybe I will meet Ben tomorrow.

I never met Ben –> time is clear / finished. Ben is not here, Ben is dead, Ben is gone from China.

In English, we often start a story with ‘I have done’ and continue with ‘I did’.

I have already eaten. I ate rice and meat.

I have met him before. I met him yesterday in the elevator.

be / was / (have) been

I have been to Beijing several times. I was there last week.

I have seen the movie Lalaland already. I saw it last month.

I have gone to Wuxi. I went there yesterday.

How are you? = now

How were you? = time is clear = yesteryday, last month, etc, (very strange, we never say that)

How have you been? = time is unclear = so far, until now, since I last saw you (very common)

• How have you been?
• I have been fine. So far so good. What about you? How have you been ?
• I have been busy recently. Yesterday, I worked until 11.

Yesterday I have worked –> Yesterday,  I worked.