Now that you're studying English at a high level, you need to be able to talk about the language itself.
One of the biggest areas of confusion for students is the difference between the past tense and present perfect.
The past tense is indicated by using the past tense marker. Represented here by v sub d.
Here are some examples of regular verbs in past tense forms.
So as you can see for regular verbs, the past tense form is indicated by the addition of an e e d at the end of the verb.
However, some of the most common verbs in English are irregular, so it is important to learn them.
Here are some examples.
Altogether there are over 200 irregular verbs in normal use.
Many people think that the past tense form only indicates past time.
However, that is only one of the possible meanings.
The past tense form is also used to express something that is unlikely or imaginary from the speaker's point of view.
Here's an example. He wishes he had a car.
The fact is that he doesn't have a car. So the use of head indicates that it isn't real. It's imaginary.
If he had a car, he could drive us to school.
Again, he doesn't have a car, so he can't drive us to school.
this condition expresses something that isn't a fact.
It's a counter factual condition. Which means it goes against what we know or believe.
Which condition is counterfactual or imaginary?
Look at these two sentences.
Both sentences are correct, but there is a difference in meaning.
In the Top sentence, the condition that she waits is more likely from the speaker's point of view.
In the bottom sentence, the speaker thinks it's less likely that she's going to wait.
Look at these two sentences. If she waits another week, she can save money. If she waited another week, she could save money because there's going to be a sale. Both sentences are correct, but there is a difference in meaning.
If he had a car, he could drive us to school.
There's going to be a sale next week. So I hope she doesn't go shopping tomorrow.
If that flight leaves on time, we're going to miss it. So let's run.
If that flight leaves on time is the next shuttle bus may not get us to the airport on time.
If that flight left an hour later, we wouldn't have to get to the airport so early tomorrow morning.