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[FONT=&quot] (a happening under the control of an agent)[/FONT], state[FONT=&quot] (something that is conceived of as existing, rather than happening, and as being homogeneous, continuous and unchanging [/FONT][FONT=&quot]throughout its duration)[/FONT] 'event[FONT=&quot] (a momentary happening)[/FONT], or process [FONT=&quot] ( a dynamic happening extended in time)[/FONT]

 

[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.