Doubt about Present Perfect

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albertomsr

#73440 Fri, 11 Feb 05 07:04 PM

Hello everybody!

I saw this phrase recently: "Ken has written this speech for Helli". Is it wrong the use of the Present Perfect there? Because as far as I know, the present perfect should not be used in this question, because Ken is not writting the speech anymore (he already stopped writing that speech). Am I wrong? Why?

Any help will be apreciated!

albertomsr

Joined on Sat, Jan 15 2005

Campinas-SP, Brazil

New Member (02)

Present Perfect

MrPedantic

#73477 Sat, 12 Feb 05 01:00 AM

Hello albertomsr

The present perfect can be used where the past event is still relevant to the present.

In your sentence, the relevance of the speech to the present is demonstrated by the use of 'this': the speech, though written in the past, is either in the speaker's hand, or on his pc, etc., and is directly referred to by the speaker ('this speech').

MrP

MrPedantic

Joined on Wed, Oct 13 2004

Veteran Member (12,231)

...opella forensis / adducit febris...

Present Perfect

CalifJim

#73500 Sat, 12 Feb 05 03:03 AM

Hi, Alberto,

Your example sentence is the correct use of the present perfect.
Sometimes, and this is one of them, you can paraphrase as follows:

Ken has this speech. He has the speech in written form. He has it written. He has written it.

Remember, the present perfect is the "diary" tense. Ken has accomplished the writing of the letter. It is now something "notated in his diary". The present perfect can often be interpreted as the assertion of the existence of such an imaginary diary notation.

CJ