Lorsque tu dois choisir une forme verbale, réfléchis bien à l'idée que tu veux exprimer.
• Si tu veux parler des caractéristiques de quelqu'un ou de quelque chose (ses goûts, ses habitudes, des généralités le concernant), utilise le présent simple et conjugue-le convenablement.
→What does the word « Apartheid » mean? It means separate evolution.
They don't consider him to be an average citizen, they consider him to be their leader, their savior.
→What does the word « Apartheid » mean? It means separate evolution.
They don't consider him to be an average citizen, they consider him to be their leader, their savior.
• Si tu veux mettre en valeur une situation particulière du présent (pour la décrire ou la commenter), utilise le présent be + -ing.
→Look at the Ku Klux Klan members over there ! They are burning a cross.
→Look at the Ku Klux Klan members over there ! They are burning a cross.
• Si tu veux parler d'un événement passé, coupé du présent (last year, last month, 2 years ago, in 1961), utilise le prétérit.
→When did the British conquer the colony? They conquered the colony in 1806.
In 1963, Martin Luther King organized a March on Washington.
→When did the British conquer the colony? They conquered the colony in 1806.
In 1963, Martin Luther King organized a March on Washington.
• Si tu veux mettre en valeur une situation particulière du passé, qui va servir de décor à un autre événement, utilise le prétérit be + -ing.
→As he was lying in prison, he dreamt of a democratic and free society.
→As he was lying in prison, he dreamt of a democratic and free society.
• Si tu veux faire un constat, établir un bilan, utilise le present perfect.
→Since the beginning of the XVIIth century, slavery has been a fundamental problem in the States.
→Since the beginning of the XVIIth century, slavery has been a fundamental problem in the States.
• Si tu veux parler d'un événement antérieur à une action passée, utilise le past perfect.
→Before he was awarded the Nobel Prize of Peace, Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned for high treason.
→Before he was awarded the Nobel Prize of Peace, Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned for high treason.
Exercice n°1
À quel temps faut-il conjuguer le verbe entre parenthèses : présent simple, présent be + -ing, prétérit simple, prétérit be + -ing, present perfect ou past perfect ? Choisis la forme qui convient.
When the English (to invade) Ireland, they took their lands.
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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As the Irish (to suffer) from famine, they left their country.
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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Since 1921, Ireland (be) divided into two parts: the Republic of Ireland (Eire) in the South, and Ulster in the North, which is part of the United Kingdom.
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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Exercice n°2
À quel temps faut-il conjuguer le verbe (entre parenthèses) : présent simple, présent be + -ing, prétérit simple, prétérit be + -ing, present perfect ou past perfect ? Choisis la forme qui convient.
Today, the Catholics in Ulster (to want) a united Ireland.
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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Look at the boy over there! He (to run) away ! Isn't he a member of the IRA?
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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