jack112  +  64770 Sun, 02 Jan 05 12:31 PM Are these correct? What do they mean? 1. I just found out about it right now. (If this is correct, why?) 2. I just find out about it right now. jack112 Joined on Thu, Jul 22 2004 Regular Member 715

	Mister Micawber  +  64772 Sun, 02 Jan 05 01:00 PM (1) is correct because 'right now' is a tiny bit in the past, by the time the speaker speaks. He probably should have said 'just a moment ago', but a native speaker might easily say it this way also. (2) is wrong. Simple present is incorrect here for the present moment. If the speaker were on the phone in the midst of a conversation, and I asked him: 'Have you found out about your flight to Seattle yet?" Then he might answer, 'I'm just finding out about it right now.' Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,507 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Tenses, Conversations, Present Tenses, Simple Present

	jack112  +  64832 Sun, 02 Jan 05 09:09 PM (2) is wrong. Simple present is incorrect here for the present moment. If the speaker were on the phone in the midst of a conversation, and I asked him: 1. I just find out about it right now. (So this is wrong no matter what?) Scenario: We need the lottery ticket right now! I just thought about the meaning for the sentence above, could it also be right? For eg.: 2. He findss the lottery ticket right now. (He is looking for the ticket right now?) Scenario: Could you guys get me the answer for the question right away? 3. Yes, someone is on it. He gets the answer for you right now. (He is getting a question for you.) If they are incorrect, why? I still don't really understand. jack112 Tenses, Conversations, Present Tenses, Simple Present

	Mister Micawber  +  64854 Mon, 03 Jan 05 12:12 AM All are incorrect verb tenses, Jack. The 'simple present' tense is NOT used for events which occur at the moment of speaking-- for 'now' we use the present continuous, just as you did in your explanation: 'He is looking for the ticket right now', 'He is getting an answer for you'-- 'Right now I am having a bath, smoking a cigarette and watching TV. I am really enjoying myself.' This is true for almost all verbs, although there is the exception of a few verbs which do not normally take this form but use the simple present, like 'have' (= possess), 'be' (= exist), 'know', and verbs of the senses: 'Right now I smell smoke, and I have an idea that the house is on fire. The house is old, you know.' The simple present is not a present tense at all; it is generally used for timeless facts and conditions: habit, eternal truths, etc: 'The earth revolves around the sun.' (now, yesterday, tomorrow, every day) 'I like sushi.' (now, yesterday, tomorrow, every day) Note this example: 'I smoke heavily, but I am not smoking now because it is forbidden in this restaurant'. Mister Micawber Verbs, Tenses, Present Tenses, Present Continuous, Simple Present

	jack112  +  64974 Mon, 03 Jan 05 11:36 AM Thanks. WorkingWounded What do these mean? How come they used 'was' instead of 'is'? What is the point of using 'was' vs' 'is' and vice versa? 1. "Stereotype No. 3: Women are more passive. She is working with the 'same title and salary while filling in for her male boss,' the implication being that he was paid more. 2. "Stereotype No. 3: Women are more passive. She is working with the 'same title and salary while filling in for her male boss,' the implication being that he is paid more. jack112 Tenses, Present Tenses

	Mister Micawber  +  64987 Mon, 03 Jan 05 12:20 PM "Stereotype No. 3: Women are more passive. She is working with the 'same title and salary while filling in for her male boss,' the implication being that he was paid more, but she's 'not bitter.' " Jack, I think that the writer uses 'was' because he 'was paid more' before she 'filled in [= substituted] for her male boss'. Certainly either 'is' or 'was' would work here: using 'is', on the other hand, the writer would be thinking of the male boss's salary as a continuing item. Mister Micawber Tenses, Present Tenses

	Klavier  +  65236 Tue, 04 Jan 05 04:15 PM MrM, All are incorrect verb tenses, Jack. The 'simple present' tense is NOT used for events which occur at the moment of speaking-- for 'now' we use the present continuous... I have a book that says that it's possible to use the simple present at the moment of speaking for ex. when a commentator is reporting a football game live: "Beckam kicks the ball and scores". Klavier Joined on Thu, Sep 23 2004 Chile Full Member 357 "If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants" Isaac Newton Verbs, Tenses, Present Tenses, Present Continuous, Football, Simple Present

	jack112  +  65347 Wed, 05 Jan 05 07:01 AM Are these correct? If not, why? What do these mean? 1. I knew it is here. 2. I knew it was here. 3. I thought it was here 4. I thought it is here 5. I told you we have it. (If this is incorrect, how come #4 is not?) 6. I told you we had it. Thanks. jack112 Tenses, Present Tenses

	Casi  +  65385 Wed, 05 Jan 05 11:33 AM I see you've found a new home, jack. Casi Joined on Sat, Sep 25 2004 Regular Member 547 Tenses, Present Tenses