PRETERIT / PRESENT PERFECT / PAST PERFECT Back to basics…

« You are watching BBC world. These are the top stories : Another plane …………………… ( to crash ) » « Another plane has crashed ». L’évènement n’est pas daté. On ne s’intéresse pas au récit, mais on fait un bilan dans le présent des derniers évènements.

A Germanwings plane carrying 150 people ………………………( crash ) into the French Alps on Tuesday 24 th March. Évènement daté (on Tuesday March 24) → preterit « crashed » No one ……………………..(survive) the crash. BILAN – ce qui nous intéresse ici n’est pas l’évènement en soi mais ses conséquences dans le présent → PRESENT PERFECT = HAVE + V-ED « has survived »

What exactly happened on the day of the flight? Germanwings Flight 9525, an Airbus A320,…………… ( depart ) from Barcelona en route to Dusseldorf on Tuesday morning. Around 30 minutes into the flight, the plane …………. ( reach ) a cruising altitude of 38,000 feet when it ………………………( begin ) to descend rapidly at a rate of 3,000 feet per minute. Ten minutes later, the plane………………… ( crash ) in a remote area of the French Alps. Story-telling → preterit : « departed » - « began » - « crashed » Flash-back in the story : past perfect « had reached » Cf Le vol avait atteint son altitude de croisière quand il a commencé ….

Investigators… ( reveal ) this morning that the co-pilot …………deliberately ……………( crash ) the plane into the Alps, killing 150 people. Apparently the man……………… ( suffer ) from mental illness Investigators revealed this morning that the co-pilot had deliberately crashed the plane into the Alps, killing 150 people. Apparently the man suffered from mental illness

Rescuemen ……(search) for the 2 nd black box for the last six days but they……. (not find ) it yet. Action débutée dans le passé et qui se prolonge dans le présent (cf ils cherchent la 2 ème boîte noire depuis 6 jours) = present perfect ( HAVE + V-ed) They have searched for … OR They have been searching for … ( forme progressive pour insister sur la pénibilité de l’action) DEPUIS = FOR (« ça fait trois jours / un an que …. ») / SINCE (point de départ) « They have not found it yet » = ils ne l’ont pas encore trouvée. On fait un bilan au moment présent → present perfect

MAKE YOUR CHOICE ! I studied / have studied German for three years when I was in high school but I forgot / have forgotten everything. I can hardly say a word now, it’s pathetic …

I STUDIED ENGLISH FOR THREE YEARS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL BUT I HAVE FORGOTTEN EVERYTHING. I CAN HARDLY SAY A WORD NOW, IT ’ S PATHETIC … I STUDIED : ACTION DATÉE PAR UN COMPLÉMENT DE TEMPS ( WHEN I WAS …) DONC PRETERIT I HAVE FORGOTTEN : CE QUI COMPTE N ’ EST PAS LE PROCESSUS / L ’ ACTION EN SOI MAIS L ’ IMPACT DANS LE PRÉSENT (= JE SUIS MAINTENANT INCAPABLE DE PARLER ) → BILAN

I worked / have worked in this company for two months but I still don’t know everybody in the department. I should try to socialize a little …

I have worked in this company for two months but I still don’t know everybody in the department. I have worked = action commencée dans le passé et qui se poursuit dans le présent « je travaille dans cette entreprise DEPUIS … »

When I saw him, I realised how much he has changed / changed / had changed.

When I saw him, I realised how much he had changed. « had changed » : past perfect pour marquer l’antériorité par rapport au moment de la rencontre

« I’ve always believed / I always believed that men are created equal. But apparently, some are more equal than others.»

« I’ve always believed that men are created equal. But apparently, some are more equal than others » I believed so in the past and I still do in the present →lien avec le présent : present perfect

You left / have left all the lights on again ! I can’t image how much the electricity bill will be with you …

You have left all the lights on again ! I can’t image how much the electricity bill will be with you … « You have left » : what matters is the consequence (=we’re going to have to pay a lot for the elctricity) → CONSEQUENCE

I was / have been in a band for two years but we split up / have split up. I play music on my own now.

I was in a band for two years but we have split up. I play music on my own now. I was : situation révolue – ils ne sont plus ensemble (« for » = pendant) We have split up : what matters is the consequence – they are no longer together and he now plays on his own.

-I knew / have known her for long. She is a good friend of mine.And you ? - I’ve just met / I just met her. We haven’t talked / didn’t talk much yet.

-I have known her for long. She is a good friend of mine.And you ? - I’ve just met her. We haven’t talked much yet. -I have known : « DEPUIS » -Just + present perfect : passé très proche ( « je viens de … ») -Present perfect + « not …yet » : pas encore → BILAN