pleasehelp  +  949793 Thu, 22 Oct 09 01:33 PM I didn't know you had it in you -- past tense and I don't know you have it in you -- present tense These two sentences are basically the same sentences but in different tenses but how come they sound and essentially mean different things? pleasehelp Joined on Sun, Sep 20 2009 Regular Member 614 Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Tenses, Sentences

	Ivanhr  +  949804 Thu, 22 Oct 09 02:01 PM Very good question PH, I wish I knew the answer. Although  the second sentence sounds less idiomatic. Ivanhr Joined on Fri, Oct 2 2009 Full Member 185

	pleasehelp  +  949923 Thu, 22 Oct 09 04:58 PM Ivanhr “Very good question PH, I wish I knew the answer. Although  the second sentence sounds less idiomatic. ” Experts please? pleasehelp Sentences

	RayH  +  950057 Thu, 22 Oct 09 08:04 PM pleasehelp “I didn't know you had it in you -- past tense ” This is the usual formualtion. pleasehelp “I don't know you have it in you -- present tense” I've never heard this. The first is used after someone does or says something unexpected. The second would be a kind of preemptive use that expresses doubt as to whether the person can or will take the action in question. RayH Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008 Contributing Member 1,555 Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert. Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Tenses

	Avangi  +  950106 Thu, 22 Oct 09 09:34 PM Since "to have it in you" is clearly an idiom, you should expect its uses to be somewhat established. In the present tense, I've heard: I'm not sure [if] you have it in you. I don't know if you have it in you. I don't know that you have it in you. Avangi Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007 Veteran Member 8,194 ". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier Tenses, Present Tenses, Idioms