can you say

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Tomer

#507224 Tue, 29 Apr 08 06:47 PM

Hi,

"I opened the window in front of you, haven't you seen?"

thanks

Tomer

Joined on Fri, Jul 20 2007

Full Member (134)

"If you fear life..You will never live"

Avangi

#507229 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:00 PM

I don't think the context is right for "haven't you seen?" without an object. "To see" can be transitive or intransitive, but somehow this one begs for an object.

I think it would be okay in simple present: "I opened the window in front of you, don't you see?

Avangi

Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007

Senior Member (3,289)

". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

Simple present

New2grammar

#507231 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:04 PM

Hi Avangi, I wonder why you use the simple present when the verb is in the past tense "opened". Could you explain? My guess is "don't you see the opened window" instead of "don't you see I opened it" which is wrong and requires "didn't".

New2grammar

Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006

Veteran Member (7,670)

Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?

Simple present, Verbs, Tenses, Past tenses

Avangi

#507233 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:13 PM

Hi N2g,

I'm thinking, "Look at the window, don't you see? I opened it ten minutes ago!"

We would say, "Didn't you see me open the window ten minutes ago?"

Avangi

New2grammar

#507236 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:16 PM

Thanks, Avangi. That's what I meant in my post. My explanation is not as clear as yours.

New2grammar

Avangi

#507241 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:32 PM

You're too fast for me. You beat my edit again. I was going to add, "in front of you" may be ambiguous. I was thinking of it as which window? The window in front of you.

But in the original sentence, "I opened the window in front of you, haven't you seen?" - "in front of you" could be the fixed idiom (I think) meaning "I did it while you were addressing me." In other words, I had your attention. (I guess I'm using "addressing" as when a golfer says, "I'm addressing the ball.") If this is the meaning of "in front of you," then your call for past tense may be correct.

Avangi

Tenses, Past tenses, Idioms

New2grammar

#507245 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:43 PM

I didn't know about the idiom. Thanks Avangi. By the way, why do you always edit your post and sometimes, I noticed several times in several minutes. I guess it's a matter of preference. I don't click POST until I finish typing everything I want to say, at least what I can think of at the time.

New2grammar

Idioms

Grammar Geek

#507247 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:44 PM

New2grammar

at least what I can think of at the time.

That's the key!

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,567)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Grammar

New2grammar

#507250 Tue, 29 Apr 08 07:51 PM

I thought there was a function in this forum that allows the user to save their post so they don't lose it if their computer hangs or connection drops and she was experiencing this kind of issue.

New2grammar

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