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Anonymous

#426623 Wed, 03 Oct 07 02:30 PM

Hi !
I am a Debutor in english, i am learning english

i was learn a Grammar of english
and i have understood that we can use the present and a futur for speaking and i did't need a Past to speak because we can use the present perfect to talk about experience from the past and we can use the present perfect to talk about change or new information like the example " i have bought a car "
i know that british speakers, Americans often use the past tense with the place the present perfect
and we can use the present perfect to talk about a continuing situation and talk about the situation started in the past and it continues up to now

so i have included that we did't need a past to speak in english, we can use the present perfect instead

i want to know if this i said is true or false ???

i am sorry if i have facted a error in the grammar because i am a Debutor

thanks

Anonymous

Grammar, Past tenses, Present perfect, Tenses

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Grammar Geek

#426638 Wed, 03 Oct 07 02:47 PM

Hello Anon,

Sometimes you need the past tense. The present perfect won't work in every situation. Sometimes you need the past perfect too.

For example: Pretend you want to describe a situation in which you went to a party hoping to see someone. That person was at the party, but left before you arrived. You cannot use the present perfect: *I have gone to the party but when I have gotten there he has gone. Do you see? You need to say I went to the party, but by the time I arrived, he had left.

You also don't use the past tense with a specific time in the past. You do NOT say: I have eaten there yesterday, or I have watched my daughter's volleyball game last Saturday.

When you reply, so I know you have seen this, I am going to move it to the Basic Grammar section, okay?