[title]Family quotes[/title] [description]Welcome to our family quotes section! Here you'll find some of the funniest (and wisest) quotes on the subject of family life![/description]
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How come you haven't let me know?

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Latest post Mon, Nov 2 2009 9:38 AM by Mister Micawber. 1 replies.
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Vince  +  959662 Mon, 02 Nov 09 08:34 AM
Hi all,

 

I'm back from a loong holiday :-) Now I'm teaching English again, and I'm running into trouble... At the school I teach (Dutch school) we use a book that's not always as clear as it should be. Even I don't always know the answer

 

So, we have the following sentence:

 

How come you didn't let / haven't let me know about her accident?

 

The pupils have to choose whether to use the past simple or present perfect. Honestly: I have no clue what to do with this sentence. To me, it sounds wrong, no matter which one I choose. I'd say: How come you didn't tell / haven't told me about her accident? But then, which one is right, or are they both right?

 

Hope you can help...

 

Vince

 
Vince
Joined on Wed, Feb 23 2005
Germany
Full Member 156
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Mister Micawber  +  959694 Mon, 02 Nov 09 09:38 AM
They are both fine.  It would depend on context or what the speaker is thinking to make the verb choice.  I agree that your sentence/s are a commoner way of saying it, but the originals are grammatically OK, too.
Mister Micawber
Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004
Yokohama
Veteran Member 30,842
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
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