This: past, present, or future?
Curso de Inglés Básico A2: Adverbios y Expresiones de Tiempo
Contenido del curso
Talking About Places and Things
Talking About Time
Frequency and Habits
This: past, present, or future?
This: past, present, or future?
Curso de Inglés Básico A2: Adverbios y Expresiones de Tiempo
Contenido del curso
“I’d love a class where Liam teaches this peculiar whistle
This weekend we will share time with my wife
The last weekend we stated in Ss with the family
When talk about past, present or future, you can use “this” with first option, because this work enclosure at three posibility. For example, this week I have a driver class, but I don't feel relaxed.
The word "this" functions as a flexible temporal proximity anchor, capable of orienting discourse toward the recent past, the continuous present, or the near future depending on the verb and the context of the action.
3 Key Concepts
· Temporal Proximity: The determiner "this" indicates closeness to the current moment, eliminating the need to resort to complex verb tenses to locate daily or professional events.
· Syntactic Flexibility: Its position in the sentence is versatile; it can be placed at the beginning (requiring a comma) or at the end (without additional punctuation) to emphasize the time frame.
· Collocational Restrictions: It combines naturally with parts of the day (this morning), short periods (this week), and specific days, excluding anomalies like "this night" (replaced by tonight).
Near future
Near past
Near future
Happening now
We want to celebrate the victory this week - Near future
This morning, I went to the gym - Near past
Robert was in brazil this Monday - Near past
I am in the office this week - Happening now
present,before we meet.
this year?
Is it possible to use "this" with years?
Yes, you can definitely use "this year" to describe actions happening within the current 365-day cycle, with the exact meaning shifting based on your chosen verb tense. If you say, "I traveled to Japan this year," you are talking about a past event, whereas saying "I want to learn Python this year" sets a future goal for the remaining months. It is an excellent phrase for setting annual resolutions or reviewing recent milestones, but remember that once midnight strikes on New Year's Eve, you must switch to saying last year!
Can I use "this" for future plans?
Absolutely, you can use "this" to talk about the near future by pairing it with a future-leaning verb or intention, provided the time period hasn't happened yet. If it is Monday and you say, "I am traveling to London this Friday," the word "this" clearly points to an upcoming day within your current week, creating a strong sense of immediacy. It is the perfect tool for discussing short-term goals, upcoming meetings, or weekend plans that fall within your immediate calendar cycle rather than a distant, abstract future.
Can I use "this" for future plans?
Absolutely, you can use "this" to talk about the near future by pairing it with a future-leaning verb or intention, provided the time period hasn't happened yet. If it is Monday and you say, "I am traveling to London this Friday," the word "this" clearly points to an upcoming day within your current week, creating a strong sense of immediacy. It is the perfect tool for discussing short-term goals, upcoming meetings, or weekend plans that fall within your immediate calendar cycle rather than a distant, abstract future.
Past, Present.
I want to close the deal this week.
I'm working on a new project this evening.
I'll go to the beach this month.
i studied for the exam last night.
i studied english every day
i will study for the test tomorrow
We want to celebrate the victory this week - Near future
This morning, I went to the gym - Near past
Robert was in brazil this Monday - Near past
I am in the office this week - Happening now
Past
✅
Why is saying "this night" incorrect?
While it might seem logical to follow the pattern of this morning or this afternoon, English has a dedicated, highly efficient word for the evening hours of the current day: tonight. Saying "this night" sounds unnatural to native speakers because tonight already perfectly captures the meaning of the night of this current day, so you simply say, "I will watch a movie tonight." However, you can absolutely use "this evening" if you are referring to the early part of the night, usually between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
Past
The past