'not always' + present perfect or past simple?

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Tomix

#14453 Sat, 29 Nov 03 09:49 PM

Hello Forum,

I'm a bit lost here...

Consider this sentence:

"She __________________ (not always, be) interested in politics, but she is now."

Do I need to say "she hasn't always been" (always + present perfect)

OR

Do I need to say " she wasn't always" (past simple, because the not being interested is over)

??????? or can I use both? I want to know what the rule is and what educated native speakers use. None of my clever books could fill me in on this... both sound okay to me...
hmmm, I actually think that the PAST SIMPLE is correct, and that te ePRESEN PEREFECT is wrong. But I have a hint of a doubt...

I teach English but am not a native speaker.

Please help, thank you.

Tom

Tomix

Joined on Sat, Nov 29 2003

New Member (09)

krmjr

#14457 Sat, 29 Nov 03 10:53 PM

"She wasn't always" is correct. Using the past simple indicates that a condition that was true in the past has ceased to be true.

"She hasn't always" suggests that she wasn't always, and that she still isn't. Use the present perfect to describe conditions that were true in the past and that are still true.

krmjr

Joined on Sat, Nov 29 2003

New Member (26)

Tomix

#14459 Sat, 29 Nov 03 11:07 PM

Yo, thank you.

I figured as much, but after reading so many student copies that got it wrong, I got VERY confused.

I can't actually think of ANY example in which "hasn't always" could be used. Can you?

Tomix

Present Perfect, Past Simple

krmjr

#14499 Sun, 30 Nov 03 04:02 PM

Hmm...consider the following examples:

"She doesn't remember to take her medicine." (Present tense and progressive form; she never takes her medicine, both in the past and now.)

"She didn't remember to take her medicine." (Simple past; at some point in the past, she forgot to take her medicine.)

"She hasn't always remembered to take her medicine." (Present perfect; there have been instances in the past where she has forgotten to take her medicine, and that condition of forgetting continues.)

krmjr

Tenses, Present Tenses, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Simple

Tomix

#14501 Sun, 30 Nov 03 04:12 PM

oh dear...

you're absolutely right.

thanks.

Tomix

Present Perfect, Past Simple