Практическая грамматика

§10. Mood is a grammatical category, which indicates the attitude of the speaker towards the action expressed by the verb from the point of view of its reality.
We distinguish the Indicative mood, the Imperative mood, and the Subjunctive mood.


Tenses in the Active Voice.

The Indefinite form merely shows that the action takes place in the present, past or future. The form of the verb gives no indication as to its duration or completion.

The Present Indefinite.


§ 1. The use of the Present Indefinite.
The Present Indefinite is used to denote:
1. Customary, repeated actions. This is its most characteristic use.
I usually go away at weekends.
The repeated character of the action is often shown by adverbials such as every day, often, usually, etc.
2. Permanent actions or states (continuing for a long time), characterizing the subject.
She sings and plays the piano beautifully.
He is so lazy. He doesn’t do anything to help me.
Barry works in a shop.
The license runs for a year.
3. Universal truths, something that is eternally true.
Magnet attracts iron.
The earth rotates round its axis.
4. Actions going on at the present moment:
a) with verbs not used in the Continuous form.
I see George in the street. Tell him to come in.
I hear somebody knock. Go and open the door.
I quite understand what you mean.
b) When the fact of the action is important, not the process. The speaker just names the action as such:
You leave me no choice.
I swear to it.
I refuse to answer.
Why don’t you answer?
5. A future action:
a) In adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions when, till, until, before, after, as soon as, as long as, if, unless, on condition that, provided.
Robert, will you mend me a pen or two before you go? (Ch.Bronte)
I promise not to try to see Robert again till he asks for me. (Ch.Bronte)