Parallel uses of the past dynamic and anterior tenses

In about 3% of all its uses the Past Dynamic refers to processes which can be denoted by verbs in the Beforepresent or, more commonly, Beforepast Dynamic (See pages 56—58).

Parallel Uses of the Past Dynamic and the Beforepresent Tenses: l."From what I hear, he's always been round when Stanson was operat­ing" (E. Wallace); 2. "I have sat in a drawing-room in Westminster and listened to the serene geniality of a piano trio while the bombs were crushing without" (W. S. Maugham); 3. "All the time you were talking, I've been wanting this and I just couldn't bring myself to do it" (M. Wil­son); 4."Mrs. Widler, I've wanted to come and see you for a long time. I've often wondered how you were getting on" (A. Cronin); 5. "For some time now I'vewanted to buy the house next door, in order to enlarge the palm room for you and make an additional gallery for pictures and statuary. I was intending to leave it all in your hands" (Th. Drei­ser); 6. "Honey," he said. "Don't think any more about me or anything I've said. I was merely thinking that it might make matters worse for both of us" (Th. Dreiser).

Parallel Uses of the Past and Beforepast Dynamic: 1. But it was then that Syd had his inspiration. It had come to him while he was slowly going round the hall by himself (W. S. Maugham); 2. "It's well worth seeing," Jim had assured me while we were crossing the river, on our way back" (J. Conrad); 3. She stood as she had stood before, when she was facing him (W. S. Maugham); 4. Just where he was sitting, had he sat when Fleur was showing him the Goya dress (J. Galsworthy); 5. He remembered long ago when the bombing officer had been hit by a stick bomb some one of the German patrol had thrown as he was coming in through the wire that night (E. Hemingway); 6. He could now walk almost without pain in his bruised legs. He had looked at them, as he was getting up: deep bruises on the backs of his thighs (D. H. Lawrence); 7. It was twelve when the presence of Cowperwood was announced. During his drive he had been thinking of Aileen. He was thinking of the peculiarity of his relation with her, and of the fact that now he was running to her father for assistance (Th. Dreiser); 8. He remembered that he was standing not far from the spot at which the parting between his father and his mother was said to have occured (Th. Hardy).

The past dynamic to refer to processes future relative to some moment in the past

Relatively rarely (in about 0.5% of all its uses), the Past Dynamic refers to processes future relative to some moment of time in the past. In 38% of such uses the Past Dynamic is combined with an indicator of time (examples a), in 62% time indicators are absent (examples b):

(a) 1. It was a good thing Christian's leave was beginning tomorrow (I. Shaw); 2. Eddie Swanson was giving a Sunday supper. His wife was at her wildest. She cried, "We'll have a real party!" (S. Lewis); 3. "I

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wish you'd come and see and judge for yourself." —"I was returning to New York in the morning, but if you will have breakfast with me, I think I might stay over" (Th. Dreiser); 4. Dark had fallen by the time I reached the officers' quarters, where I was spending the night (Q. Greene);

(b) 1. An amused smile played about her mouth. She knew what was coming (V. Kershaw); 2. It was growing late. Gray and Isabelwere dining with friends, and she had to dress (W. S. Maugham); 3. When Bart came back frcm his day off, Dr. Haig explained to him that they were putting Jan on silence to ensure that she got the maximum rest (D.Cu­sack); 4. Cowperwood found himself confiding in Aileen. He was taking her with him to London (Th. Dreiser).