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AN EFFECTIVE ORIENTATION
FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH TENSES AND ASPECTS

Tai Lam
California State University, USA
2009

INTRODUCTION

With the development of communicative approaches in the late 1970s, the role of

grammar instruction in learning English as second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) was

downplayed, and it was even suggested that teaching grammar was not only unhelpful but might

actually be negative. However, recent research has demonstrated the need for formal teaching for

learners to attain high levels of accuracy. This has led to a resurrection of grammar teaching, and

its role in ESL/EFL learning has become the focus of much current investigation. Grammar is

known to be a tool in language learning and should, however, be communicatively taught. Of all

aspects of English grammar, it is very necessary to teach ESL/EFL students how to understand

the tenses and aspects of verbs and use them accurately, meaningfully and appropriately in

communication. To some Asian languages such as Chinese and Vietnamese, which have no such

clear notions as Indo-European languages do, teaching this grammar aspect will be difficult and

challenging. Based on the pavement of prior studies, this article attempts to explore the major

difficulties in teaching English tense-aspect system due to the new concepts to tonal-language

EFL learners and makes some suggestions of the more effective orientation of teaching target

tenses.

RATIONALE

Most teachers of English in Vietnam and China during the last decade usually spent a lot

of time teaching EFL learners English grammar which they had to try to indicate the differences

between the source and the target languages in order to persuade them to accept the rules. The

teaching of English tenses has always been a great problem with learners because their mother

AN EFFECTIVE ORIENTATION FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH TENSES AND ASPECTS

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tongues are tenseless languages that belong to Indo-Chinese linguistic system and cultural

background.

English tenses have been most covered in the traditional tests in schools. They have also

always been the most bewildering to (Asian) school students. Various types of testing

traditionally designed so far are such as: Having students supply the correct tenses of the given

verbs; identify the tense usage errors; changing the sentences from one specific tense to another;

identify the differences between the minimal tense-pairs (simple present versus present

progressive) etc. For practice, students are usually asked to do a lot of drills in conjugating the

verbs in a certain of tenses required, or the preparation to know how to use English tenses

properly. In teaching, the teachers apply a lot of techniques to explain the structures as well as

the usages of the tenses, which do not appear or exist in their mother languages.

Generally speaking, most of the TESOL teachers seem to impose, or precisely to say, to

force students to accept the rules and the concepts reluctantly. Briefly speaking, they usually

explain the uses of tenses by presenting that English tense-aspect system has two elements of

meaning: The “time”, indicating when the event takes places, present, past or future? And the

other is the “aspect”, showing how the event is viewed, perfective or imperfective? About the

concept, the teachers quite often focus that the tenses of the verb are the relation between the

forms of the verb and the time of the action which it describes. That is, tenses have much a linear

sense of time and they are basically distinguished in accordance with chronological level.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Asian languages are not Indo-European. In the language, verbs have no tense-aspect

system. The similar notions are indicated by an auxiliary particle meaning that the action

expressed is in progress, perfection or futurity. The expressions of time concept in the English

language reflect that the students do not have much of a linear sense of time. Sometimes, even

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the teachers themselves are at the loss for an answer of some questions asked by the students

about the tenses, or feel confused and perplexed when explaining preterite, or present perfect

aspect … such of those are often bewildering topics to students. They are puzzling that the idea

of something “ actually taking place” or “ going on” can be expressed with a verb in the present

tense, even the past tense, as well as the progressive aspect in relation to time. For example, Past

event is described in the present tense, as so-called “historical present”; Future intentive action is

expressed in progressive aspect. The following two sentences seem equally valid : “ I met him a

couple of times this morning.” & “ I have met him…this morning”. In general, those problems

are due to the different cultural, concerptural and linguistic backgrounds between the source and

target languages. The present tense in most languages refers to actions that are taking place in the

present. But in English, this is not really true. The present tense is used to refer to actions that are

habitual, repeated, or always true. (e.g., The earth rotates the sun; My father does morning

exercise every morning). In English the present progressive is used to express actions that are

taking place in the present (e.g., He’s working at the factory; He’s preparing to take CAHSEE

examination). Such problematic concepts have caused difficulties in teaching ESL/EFL students.

EFFECTIVE ORIENTATION

An effective orientation for the teaching of English tenses first introduced in Vietnam in

the late 1990s has somehow helped teachers of TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language)

broarden the scope of current practice in teaching strategy training. According to this orientation,

psychologically, time is essentially non-linear. The traditional English grammar on tenses may

be reconsidered on a psychological level. Because present, past and future sometimes impinge on

another. The sense of tense-aspect system is “sense of relativism”. Asian (Chinese) concept of

time is thought to be several durations in different levels for incomplete beings moving toward

performance. So tenses can be operating mainly on the level of mood instead of time if learners

AN EFFECTIVE ORIENTATION FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH TENSES AND ASPECTS

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understand the sense of time on psychological-spiritual level. “Time” here in the language could

be kept apart from the clock.

The grammarians’ effort in order to explain away the function of tenses by the source of

help (recourse) to time only leads to many unnecessary & confusing rules. “Time and tense must

not be confused”, “ tenses are not concerned primarily with time ”, but “with the way in which

we look upon an activity or state ” ( Hornby 1980,P.126). The possible suggestions to intensify

the power of practice in the teaching ESL is to take more consideration of the learners’ cultural

background.

Asian students should benefit from taking English tenses as “Expressions of Moods”

(Chi, 1977) as the following chart goes:

TIME MOODS ASPECTS MOODS

PRESENT Intuitive-direct PERFECT Affirmative
PAST Recollective PROGRESSIVE
Attentive
FUTURE Conjectural (imperfective)

Curricula drawn on such simpler description promise to bring better results with Asian

ESL/EFL students. Practice makes perfect only when the practice is oriented in a proper and

practical way, otherwise it may be a wasting that students would spend more time to forget the

wrong language habit than spending time to learn it.

ECLECTIC APPROACH IN TEACHING ENGLISH TENSES FOR ASIAN STUDENTS.

From the new orientaion for the teaching of English tenses, the TESOL teachers can

benefit from it by applying some of viewpoints below in teaching Asian students. Tenses are

concerned on the perfectiveness of the action rather than showing different locations of an event

or action in time. This can be illustrated as follow:

ASPECTS DEGREES OF PERFECTIVENESS

Simple 0 % ( unconcerned with perfectiveness )
Progressive 50 % ( imperfective, in progress )

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Perfect 100 % ( perfective, affirmative )

Perfect Progressive 150 % ( perfective & constant )
The learners can be quite certain about the past and the present, but cannot be so certain

about the future. Aspect is more important than time when discussing the future. It is an

extrenely important dimension in helping learners manage the English tense-aspect system. If

learners are able to develop a “feel” for the degree of perfectiveness conveyed by the aspects,

they will have a tremendous advantages in learning to cope with the boundary problems

mentioned above. Hirtle (1967), in his article explains that simple aspect refers to events that are

conceptualized as complete wholes. The events are not presented as allowing for further

development. That could be interpreted that the action in the simple aspect does not involve in

the degree of perfectiveness. It does or did happen as a real whole event. For instance, “Max lives

in New York”, “Peter drives to work every day”, or “John met his manager yesterday” etc, the

actions “live” , “drive” or “meet” do exist and happen without mentioning the time (The defautt

time is present) or did happen at the exact time in the past without involving their perfectiveness

of happening.

In contrast to simple aspects, progressive aspects can be interpreted as half way of

perfectiveness, where “the event or state is viewed as some portion of a whole and where there is

room for further development or change” and “ allowing for the possibility of change”

(Hirtle,1967). For instance, “Max is living in New York now”is some portion of a whole and

Max’s living might be temporary.

There are several different ways to express future time in English. The choice of which

form depends on how the speaker sees the event and “not”on its certainty or nearness to the

present. Therefore, to this orientational approach, future can be subcategorized into : immediate

future (spontaneous intention), future intention (planned intention), future arrangement and

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certain futurue . Let’s take Chinese and Vietnamese languages as example for the consideration

and comparisons to indicate the sense of tenses.

PAST, PRESENT PERFECT SENSE

Sentences in the simple past and present perfect aspect sense are expressed by adding a

partical before predicative : le (la), guò…le, yǐjing for Chinese (了,啦,過,已經) or “ (đã) rồi,

qua” for Vietnamese.

For examples:
CN: Ta zúotian (yǐjing ) bìng le. ( 她昨天病了. )
VN: Cô ấy hôm qua (đã) bệnh rồi. (She fell ill yesterday. )
CN: Wǒ péngyou (yǐjing ) qù (guò) Zhongguó le. ( 我朋友已經去過中國了. )
VN: Bạn tôi đã đi (qua) Trung Quốc (rồi).
(My friend has been/was to China already.)

FUTURE SENSE (with levels of probability)

Sentences with the sense of futurity are expressed by using some particals preceding

predicative according to the implication of probability levels as shown in the following:

- Planning future : ( CN: dăshuàng, yùshuàng ) (打算,預算) (VN: dự tính, dự định)

- Remote intention: ( CN: xiăngyào, yào ) (想要,要) (VN: muốn)

- Immediate intention: (CN: jiangyào,kuàiyào,kuài ) (將要,快要,快) (VN: sắp. gần)

- Certain future: ( hùi ) (會) (VN: sẽ)

- Greatly probable future: (yídìng) (一定) (VN: nhất định sẽ)

For examples:
CN: Ta míngnián dăshuàng qù Meigúo. (他明年打算去美國 )
VN: Năm tới anh ấy định đi Mỹ. (I expect to go to US next year. )
CN：Ta (xiăng)yào măi yì jian fángzi. (他想要買一間房子 )
VN: Anh ấy muốn mua nhà. ( He’s planning to buy a house.)

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CONCLUSION

Most of Asian languages are tenseless and rely on pragmatic and lexical devices to

indicate temporal locations as shown in above examples. Classroom instruction may force an

early start of tense use; the Chinese and Vietnamese way of expressing temporality may

“reinforce the learners' initial tendencies of relying on pragmatic and lexical devices to indicate

temporal locations”; and the early start of tense use results in an extended period during which

the learners' expression of temporality exhibits a very slow shift from depending more on

pragmatic and lexical devices to depending more on grammatical devices. It is widely known

that teaching method is based on an approach and constitues a design for an instructional system.

It indicates what the objectives are; which language content is selected and how it organized;

which types of learning tasks and teaching activities are used. It also signify the roles of the

learners, teachers and instructional materials used. However, adopting some kind of electticism

rather than on specific method is a more effective approach for the intened purpose.

REFERENCES
Allwright, D. & Bailey, K. M. (1996). Focus on the language classroom: An introduction to
classroom research for language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bygate, M., Tonkyn, A. and Williams, E. (1994) Grammar and the Language Teacher, Prentice
Hall.

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Candlin, C. N. & Mercer, N. (2001). English Language Teaching in its social context. NewYork:
Routledge.
Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). “The Grammar Book.“ Heinle & Heinle
Publishers.
Davis, G. B. (1993). Tools for teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Davies, P., & Eric,. (2000). Success in English teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R. (1987). Understanding second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R. and Hedge, T. (1993). Second language acquisition research: how does it help teachers.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Harmer, J. (1998). The practice of English language teaching. New York: Longman.
Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and learning in the language classroom. Oxford: Oxford University
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Nunan, D. (1998). Language teaching methodology: A textbook for teacher. London: Prentice
Hall.
Nunan, D. (1999). Second language teaching & learning. Massachusetts: Heinle & Heinle
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Richards, J.C. and Rodgers, T.S. (1992) Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (eighth
edition)Cambridge University Press. Richards, J.C. and
Rodgers, T.S. (1992) Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (eighth edition)
Cambridge University Press.
Rutherford, W. E. (1987) Second Language Grammar: Teaching and learning. Harlow: Pearson
Education.
Scriverer, J. (2005) Learning Teaching: A guide book for English language teachers (Second
edition), Oxford: Macmillan.
Stern, H. H. (1983) Fundamental concepts of language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Telemans, G. and M. Yawin-Illiassou (1990) TEFL: T Methodology Handbook. Niger National
University, School of Education.
Universities of Vietnam (1999 – present) College Entrance Tests
Ur, P. (1996) A Course in Language Teaching, Cambridge University Press.
Yang, S., Huang, Y.Yuan, (2004) “The Impact of the Absence of Grammatical Tense in L1 on the
Acquisition of the Tense-Aspect”, Walter de Gruyter.

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APPENDIX 1 English Tenses – Graphic Comparison

Problems with the English tenses? Have a look at the time line, it might help you understand when to use which
tense. As there is a similarity between past, present and future tenses, there are just a few rules to keep in mind. If
you know how to use the present progressive correctly to express present actions, you will as well be able to use the
past progressive correctly to express past actions.

Legend
• action that takes place once, never or several times
• actions that happen one after another
moment in time • actions that suddenly take place

• action that started before a certain moment and lasts beyond

that moment
period of time • actions taking place at the same time

• action taking place before a certain moment in time

Result • puts emphasis on the result

• action taking place before a certain moment in time

• puts emphasis on the course or duration of the action
Course / Duration

AN EFFECTIVE ORIENTATION FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH TENSES AND ASPECTS


APPEDIX 2
Affirmative/Negative/
Tenses
Question
A: He speaks.
Simple Present N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?
A: He is speaking.
Present
N: He is not speaking.
Progressive
Q: Is he speaking?
A: He spoke.
Simple Past N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?
time in the past
A: He was speaking. • actions taking place at the
Past Progressive N: He was not speaking. same time
Q: Was he speaking? • action in the past that is
interrupted by another action
A: He has spoken.
Present Perfect
N: He has not spoken.
Simple
Q: Has he spoken?
AN EFFECTIVE ORIENTATION FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH TENSES AND ASPECTS
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TABLE OF ENGLISH TENSES
Uses Signal Words
• action in the present taking
place once, never or several
always, every …,
times
never, normally, often,
• facts
seldom, sometimes,
• actions taking place one after
usually
another
if sentences type I (If I
• action set by a timetable or
talk, …)
schedule
• action taking place in the
moment of speaking
at the moment, just,
• action taking place only for a
just now, Listen!,
limited period of time
Look!, now, right now
• action arranged for the future
• action in the past taking
place once, never or several
yesterday, 2 minutes
times
ago, in 1990, the other
• actions taking place one after
day, last Friday
another
if sentence type II (If I
• action taking place in the
talked, …)
middle of another action
• action going on at a certain
when, while, as long
as
• putting emphasis on the
result
• action that is still going on
• action that stopped recently
• finished action that has an
already, ever, just,
influence on the present
never, not yet, so far,
• action that has taken place
till now, up to now
once, never or several times
before the moment of
speaking
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• putting emphasis on the

A: He has been speaking. course or duration (not the
all day, for 4 years,
Present Perfect N: He has not been result)
since 1993, how
Progressive speaking. • action that recently stopped
long?, the whole week
Q: Has he been speaking? or is still going on
• finished action that
influenced the present

• action taking place before a

A: He had spoken.
Past Perfect
N: He had not spoken.
Simple
Q: Had he spoken?
certain time in the past
• sometimes interchangeable
with past perfect progressive
• putting emphasis only on the
fact (not the duration)
already, just, never,
not yet, once, until that
day
if sentence type III (If
I had talked, …)

• action taking place before a

certain time in the past
A: He had been speaking. • sometimes interchangeable
Past Perfect N: He had not been with past perfect simple for, since, the whole
Progressive speaking. • putting emphasis on the day, all day
Q: Had he been speaking? duration or course of an
action

in a year, next …,
• action in the future that tomorrow
cannot be influenced If-Satz Typ I (If you
A: He will speak.
• spontaneous decision ask her, she will help
Future I Simple N: He will not speak.
• assumption with regard to the you.)
Q: Will he speak?
future assumption: I think,
probably, we
might …, perhaps
A: He is going to speak. • decision made for the future
Future I Simple
N: He is not going to • conclusion with regard to the in one year, next
speak. future week, tomorrow
(going to)
Q: Is he going to speak?
• action that is going on at a
A: He will be speaking.
certain time in the future
Future I N: He will not be in one year, next
• action that is sure to happen
Progressive speaking. week, tomorrow
in the near future
Q: Will he be speaking?
A: He will have spoken.
• action that will be finished at
N: He will not have
Future II a certain time in the future by Monday, in a week
spoken.
Simple
Q: Will he have spoken?

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A: He will have been

• action taking place before a
speaking.
certain time in the future
Future II N: He will not have been for …, the last couple
• putting emphasis on the
Progressive speaking. of hours, all day long
course of an action
Q: Will he have been
speaking?
A: He would speak. if sentences type II
Conditional I • action that might take place
N: He would not speak. (If I were you, I would
Simple
Q: Would he speak? go home.)
• action that might take place
A: He would be speaking
• putting emphasis on the
Conditional I N: He would not be
course / duration of the
Progressive speaking.
action
Q: Would he be speaking?
A: He would have spoken
N: He would not have • action that might have taken if sentences type III
Conditional II
spoken. place in the past (If I had seen that, I
Simple
Q: Would he have would have helped.)
spoken?
A: He would have been
• action that might have taken
speaking.
place in the past
Conditional II N: He would not have
• puts emphasis on the course /
Progressive been speaking.
duration of the action
Q: Would he have been
speaking?

(Source : English Grammar Online For You : http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar )

AN EFFECTIVE ORIENTATION FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH TENSES AND ASPECTS