چكيده
Abstract ― Mother tongue (MT) plays a substantial role, which is known as Transfer, in EFL learning (Brown 2004). A purposeful look on Language transfer and more specifically, language interference has been in the interest zone of many researchers. This study was conducted to shed light on Persian EFL learnersʹ perception of semantic aspects of past time grammar in Persian and English and the potential transfers which may occur from L1 to L2. Furthermore, the study traced improvements in past tense conception by the EFL learners from intermediate levels to advanced. In order to do so, 100 Persian EFL learners (50 intermediate and 50 advanced) sat for a Persian test concerning semantic aspects of three tenses: past perfect, past simple, and present perfect. The rendered-to- English equivalent of the Persian test was given to the same students in a two weekʹs time. The results displayed a significant shift from L1 to L2 regarding semantic properties of tenses put forward by Reichenbach in 1947. A meaningful improvement in the tenses conception in English was also detected form Intermediate to advanced.
