Pet Handbook: Present Simple: Systems and Processes???

[reusableobject]

Hi,

In the PET Handbook the language requirement for the Present Simple is as follows:

Tenses
Present simple: states, habits, systems and processes (and
verbs not used in the continuous form)

What exactly does it mean by systems and processes?

Is it Thought Processes using verbs like: know, mean, understand, think, believe, agree, trust, guess etc

Some clarification on what they mean by this would be very helpful.

Thanks very much

ReusableObject

[lauralie2]

Hi,

In the PET Handbook the language requirement for the Present Simple is as follows:

Tenses
Present simple: states, habits, systems and processes (and
verbs not used in the continuous form)

What exactly does it mean by systems and processes?

Is it Thought Processes using verbs like: know, mean, understand, think, believe, agree, trust, guess etc

Some clarification on what they mean by this would be very helpful.

Thanks very much

ReusableObject

I think it means the steps you follow to accomplish something, say, how to write an essay, make a pizza, use a printer, and so on. In describing those things, you would use the present simple.

[5jj]

It's simply (I think) Cambridge's way of describing the situation that the verb denotes.
I have seen this expressed (by John Lyons, 1977) as 'action (a happening under the control of an agent), state (something that is conceived of as existing, rather than happening, and as being homogeneous, continuous and unchanging throughout its duration) 'event (a momentary happening), or process ( a dynamic happening extended in time)

[Rinoceronte]

What is meant by processes is what is understood in other languages as imperfect/imperfective aspect. Any action can be a process, no matter how "stative" or "dynamic" it is. When an action is represented in form of a process, it means that it does not matter for the speaker, if the action has a result of not. What does matter, is the action over a period in its continuity:

- What did you do?
- I read a book.

meaning:

- What had you been doing?
- I had been reading a book.

Since Simple tenses include both aspects (i.e., can be either processes or completed actions) one should be careful not to confuse the aspects:

- What did you do?
- I read a book.

meaning:

- What have/had you done?
- I have/had read a book.

[Rinoceronte]

Sorry, the above post relates to Past Simple.