I wrote a novel this year.

[Alice Chu]

Hello, dear teachers.
Could you please tell me if my understanding is correct?

1) A. I wrote a novel this year.
→The action was finished long before the past.
1) B. I have written a novel this year.
→The action was finished near to the present.

2) A. I am writing a novel this year.
→The action is in progress during the period of this year.
2) B. I have been writing a novel this year.
→The action is in progress up to the present.

3) A. I will make a cake by five o’clock this afternoon.
→The action will be finished before five o’clock this afternoon.
3) B. I will have made a cake by five o’clock this afternoon.
→The action will be finished before five o’clock this afternoon.
3) A. and 3) B. have the same meaning.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello, dear teachers.
Could you please tell me if my understanding is correct?

1) A. I wrote a novel this year.
→The action was finished long before the past.

It is in the past, but it could be yesterday or five minutes ago.

1) B. I have written a novel this year.
→The action was finished near to the present.

Like 1, it could be recent. We just know that it wasn't last year.

2) A. I am writing a novel this year.
→The action is in progress during the period of this year.

Yes.

2) B. I have been writing a novel this year.
→The action is in progress up to the present.

Yes.

3) A. I will make a cake by five o’clock this afternoon.
→The action will be finished before five o’clock this afternoon.

Yes.

3) B. I will have made a cake by five o’clock this afternoon.
→The action will be finished before five o’clock this afternoon.

Yes.

3) A. and 3) B. have the same meaning.

Yes. I'd probably say B rather than A. It says more strongly that the cake will be done by then. But both are fine.

Not bad! You're getting the hang of it!

 

[teechar]

Hello, dear teachers.
1) A. I wrote a novel this year.
→The action was finished long before the past.
1) B. I have written a novel this year.
→The action was finished near to the present.

Don't think of tense as equivalent to time; they are not one and the same!
For example, the present perfect in the above sentence is valid because "this year" is not over!
A: What have you done this year?
B: I have written a novel this year.
The past simple sentence is straightforward about an action in the past.

2) A. I am writing a novel this year.
→The action is in progress during the period of this year.

Two possibilities:
1- You started writing the novel this year, and you still have not finished it.
2- You will be writing a novel sometime later this year.

2) B. I have been writing a novel this year.
→The action is in progress up to the present.

Correct.

3) A. I will make a cake by five o’clock this afternoon.
→The action will be finished before five o’clock this afternoon.

Yes, you're indicating what you intend to do.

3) B. I will have made a cake by five o’clock this afternoon.
→The action will be finished before five o’clock this afternoon.
3) A. and 3) B. have the same meaning.

The future perfect is like a combination of the future simple and the present perfect.

I have made a cake. [I just finished making a cake]
I will make a cake. [I intend to make a cake sometime in the future]
combining them, we get:

I will have made a cake by 5.
[This means, I jump in time to 5 o'clock and look back and say a sentence (in the perfect aspect)].

 

[Tarheel]

Americans bake cakes.

 

[GoesStation]

Americans bake cakes.

Yes. That's how we make them. (Either verb is possible.)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Yes. That's how we make them. (Either verb is possible.)

They're both fine. I hear bake much more often.

So I'll take Tarheel's comment as a friendly amendment.

 

[GoesStation]

You're making a cake when you're mixing up the batter. Once it's in the oven, you're baking​ it.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

You're making a cake when you're mixing up the batter. Once it's in the oven, you're baking​ it.

Absolubriously!