The analysis of Past tense expression in the texts of different functional styles

     Over the next several weeks, we saw a lot of each other at work. She was kind enough to take me to a few parties, and never once commented on my mismatched and decidedly unstylish wardrobe.

     I asked her out. She refused. I kept asking. She kept refusing.

    "I'm your adviser," she said. "It's not appropriate." Finally, I offered to quit my job, and at last she relented. On our first date, I treated her to the finest ice cream Baskin-Robbins had to offer, our dinner table doubling as the curb. I kissed her, and it tasted like chocolate.

    I had known those student loans were going to get me a great education, but I had no idea they'd get me my first date with the love of my life.

    From O, The Oprah Magazine, February 2007.

    As a matter of fact, the use of past tenses in colloquial style depends on what time a person is talking about. If he/she is talking about something which continued to happen before and after a particular time in the past, he/she uses the past continuous.

    He/she uses the past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses when he/she is talking about the past and he is concerned with something which happened at an earlier time, or which had started at an earlier time but was still continuing.

   As in the examples: A year earlier I had been working as a community organizer in some of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods.

    She, I`ve since learned, was pleasantly surprised to see that my nose and ears weren't quite as enormous as they looked in the photo I'd submitted for the firm directory.

       But, as we said, colloquial style used in very free, friendly, informal situations of communication – between close friends, members of one family, etc. Therefore, primarily, in colloquial style, we can see the frequent use of the simple past tense, in order one’s thoughts was easily understood. The important thing in colloquial style is not the correctness of the grammar or vocabulary, but clarity and distinctive of the opinion.

       In colloquial style is used active voice whenever possible; writing that overly uses passive voice (is, was, has, have, had) is deadly to say and almost always results in more words than necessary to say the same thing.

Passive: To save time, the paper was written on a computer. (Who was saving time? The paper?)

Active: To save time, Kristin wrote the paper on a computer

As a general rule, active voice is preferred because it meets two of the most important requirements of colloquial style: clarity and conciseness. Active voice is clearer because it focuses the reader's attention on the "doer of the action"; it is also more concise simply because it usually involves fewer words. The clarity and effectiveness of conversation will improve dramatically as you increase the use of the active voice.

We came to conclusion that in colloquial style primarily, we can see the frequent use of the simple past tense, in order one’s thoughts was easily understood. Also, in colloquial style is used active voice whenever possible.

        Our investigation has been devoted to studying of the past tense in different functional styles. The materials of the research is submitted by belles-lettres style which serves for the comprehension of imaginative literature, publicistic style which serves to exert a constant and deep influence on public opinion, newspaper style which serves for the message of the information and influence on outlook of readers,

scientific style which shines various branches of scientific knowledge, the style of official documents which serves to state the conditions binding two parties in an undertaking  and colloquial style, which serves for communication of people in a life. We have found out from our investigation of the past tense in different functional styles that in the newspaper style, the more immediate story, that is, hot news is likely to use the present perfect, while the older story will be written primarily in simple past, in the belles-lettres styles are widely used the simple past tense for the actions and past continuous to describe the background situations. In scientific prose style, scientists tend to use the passive voice and the simple past tense when describing their investigations, and the simple present tense for the established knowledge, in the publicistic style are widely used the simple present and the simple past tense, in order to present arguments transparently and to make clear and comprehensive the speech of the author. Among grammar tenses which are used in the style of official documents, the most widespread are the Indefinite and the Perfect tenses, both in the present and the past time. In colloquial style primarily, we can see the frequent use of the simple past tense, in order one’s thoughts was easily understood. Also, in colloquial style is used active voice whenever possible.

        According to our investigation we have found out that, the past simple tense are widely used almost in all functional styles, while complex analytical forms of the verb, such as past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses, are seldom used in it.

        We can draw the conclusion that the past tense takes very important part in all functional styles.            
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

       In the first diagram is shown the percentage of four forms of the past time, such as: the simple past tense, past progressive, past perfect and present perfect in six functional styles, including, belles-lettres style, publicistic style, and newspaper style, the style of official documents, scientific prose style and colloquial style.

       We can see from the first diagram the frequent use of the simple past tense almost in all functional styles, but most often it is used in publicistic style and colloquial style. Past progressive tense is seldom used in all functional styles, especially, in scientific prose style and in the style of official documents. Past perfect is also seldom used in functional styles, only 5 or 10 percent in each functional style. Present perfect tense is often used in newspaper style and the style of official documents, while in belles-lettres style and publicistic style are seldom used.

        To sum it up, we can see that the past simple tense are widely used almost in all functional styles, while complex analytical forms of the verb, such as past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses, are seldom used in it.

       In the second diagram is drawn the percentage of active and passive voices in six functional styles mentioned above. Both of them are widely used in writing.

       As a general rule, active voice is preferred because it meets two of the most important requirements of legal writing: clarity and conciseness. But, writers in the sciences and journalists conventionally use passive voice more often than writers in other discourses.

       Therefore, active voice is often used in belles-lettres style and publicistic style, while passive voice is often used in newspaper style, scientific prose style and in the style of official documents. 
 

  
 
 
 

Conclusion

         Our investigation has been devoted to studying of the past tense in different functional styles.

         In the theoretical chapter of our work we have studied the notion of all types of the functional style in Modern English. We have defined the verb as part of speech and distinguished the types of the past time in the English language.

        In the practical part of the work we have examined materials from different sources in order to analyse how the past time are used in different functional styles.

        The materials of the research is submitted by belles-lettres style which serves for the comprehension of imaginative literature, publicistic style which serves to exert a constant and deep influence on public opinion, newspaper style which serves the purpose of informing and instructing the reader, scientific style which shines various branches of scientific knowledge, the style of official documents which serves to state the conditions binding two parties in an undertaking and colloquial style, which serves for communication of people in a life. This chapter exemplified some uses of four tense forms which express events related to the past time in different ways: the simple past, the past perfect, the past progressive and present perfect.

        We have found out from our investigation of the past tense in different functional styles that in the belles-lettres styles are widely used the simple past tense for the actions and past continuous to describe the background situations. In the publicistic style are widely used the simple present and the simple past tense, in order to present arguments transparently and to make clear and comprehensive the speech of the author.  In the newspaper style, the more immediate story, that is, hot news is likely to use the present perfect, while the older story will be written primarily in simple past. Among grammar tenses which are used in the style of official documents, the most widespread are the indefinite and the perfect tenses, both in the present and the past time. In scientific prose style, scientists tend to use the passive voice and the simple past tense when describing their investigations, and the simple present tense for the established knowledge. In colloquial style primarily, we can see the frequent use of the simple past tense, in order one’s thoughts was easily understood. Also, in colloquial style is used active voice whenever possible.

          We have been proved the hypothesis of our diploma work that the past simple tenses are widely used almost in all functional styles, while complex analytical forms of the verb, such as past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses, are seldom used in it.

       To sum it up, we can say that the past tense takes very important part in all functional styles.

       It is important to learn past tense so that to be able to express personal thoughts in the appropriate syntax. Effective use of syntax is important to show different attitudes and express power and identity. Some incorrect forms of past tense may even be interpreted by the listener/reader as being rude or impolite. The more precisely an individual can express their thoughts and meanings, the more effective their communication will be, and the more potential for success they will have in their interpersonal and business communications throughout their lives.

       It can be concluded that much has been achieved on the way towards studying the past time in different functional styles, but the work on this issue should be continued.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Appendix

“The Sniper” by Liam O'Flaherty (1897-1984)

   The long June twilight faded into night. Dublin lay enveloped in darkness but for the dim light of the moon that shone through fleecy clouds, casting a pale light as of approaching dawn over the streets and the dark waters of the Liffey. Around the beleaguered Four Courts the heavy guns roared. Here and there through the city, machine guns and rifles broke the silence of the night, spasmodically, like dogs barking on lone farms. Republicans and Free Staters were waging civil war. 
   On a rooftop near O'Connell Bridge, a Republican sniper lay watching. Beside him lay his rifle and over his shoulders was slung a pair of field glasses. His face was the face of a student, thin and ascetic, but his eyes had the cold gleam of the fanatic. They were deep and thoughtful, the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death.

   He was eating a sandwich hungrily. He had eaten nothing since morning. He had been too excited to eat. He finished the sandwich, and, taking a flask of whiskey from his pocket, he took a short drought. Then he returned the flask to his pocket. He paused for a moment, considering whether he should risk a smoke. It was dangerous. The flash might be seen in the darkness, and there were enemies watching. He decided to take the risk.

   Placing a cigarette between his lips, he struck a match, inhaled the smoke hurriedly and put out the light. Almost immediately, a bullet flattened itself against the parapet of the roof. The sniper took another whiff and put out the cigarette. Then he swore softly and crawled away to the left.

   Cautiously he raised himself and peered over the parapet. There was a flash and a bullet whizzed over his head. He dropped immediately. He had seen the flash. It came from the opposite side of the street.

   He rolled over the roof to a chimney stack in the rear, and slowly drew himself up behind it, until his eyes were level with the top of the parapet. There was nothing to be seen-just the dim outline of the opposite housetop against the blue sky. His enemy was under cover.