The key answer of exercise 4
The key to exercise solutions in chapter 1.5 - Lookback for the textbook Speakout Advanced Plus - Students' Book with authors Frances Eales and Steve Oakes from Pearson Education
Question
Work in pairs and discuss. What tense and aspect is used in each sentence? What is the difference in meaning, if any, between the sentences in each pair?
Answer
1
- a) present perfect simple; b) present continuous
- No significant difference in meaning.
2
- a) future perfect continuous; b) future perfect simple
- These can be essentially the same in meaning if finished one way, e.g. '... here for 5 years', though even then a) might express a temporary view of 'living here'; b) can be completed in ways that a) can't, e.g. '... in fifteen countries in my life thus far'
3
- a) future perfect simple; b) future continuous
- No significant difference in meaning.
4
- a) past perfect continuous; b) present perfect continuous
- The point of reference is different. In sentence a) it is before and up to a point in the past. In sentence b) it is before and up to now. So, in a) the person is talking about a 'finished' story from their life, in b) a current, unfinished story.
5
- a) past continuous; b) past perfect simple
- Essentially no significant difference in meaning - the 'but' implies a change in plans for both, and either could come from a 'narrative' of someone's life when talking about a change of plans in the present OR in the past.