Please, help me with this question

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Anonymous

#505306 Fri, 25 Apr 08 12:44 PM

Hi!

An explanation, please. Present Perfect tense means past time related to present time and one of its uses is: an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past, e.g.: I have travelled to Athens. But in the sentence: I have read a magazine * today ,how to explain that we don't use the Simple Past, but the Present Perfect tense here? Because the action of reading a magazine happened today, time is definite!

2) So what's the difference between:

- I read a magazine today. (simple past tense)

and

- I have read a magazine today. (present perfect tense)

Thanks a lot!!!

Anonymous

Difference between, Tenses, Simple past, Present perfect, Past tenses

Clive

#505312 Fri, 25 Apr 08 01:08 PM

Hi,

In this sentence, the speaker is thinking of 'today' as an indefinite period. eg If he is speaking at 9pm, we dom't know at what definite time he read the magazine. Here's an example of a common kind of conversation.

Father: Have you done your homework today?

Son: Yes, I have.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (19,495)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

Conversations, Tenses, Simple past, Present perfect

Anonymous

#505383 Fri, 25 Apr 08 04:07 PM

Hi Clive,

Thanks for helping me. I understood your explanation. But, how to explain the difference between these two senteces without any context:

I read the magazine today .(simple past)

and

I have read the magazine today. (present perfect tense)

Plese, help me once more because I really need to understand this difference.

Thanks!!!

Anonymous

Difference between, Tenses, Simple past, Present perfect

Clive

#505394 Fri, 25 Apr 08 04:49 PM

Hi,

The present perfect suggests this fact has some importance to the time of speaking.

The context is necessary to explain why this tense was chosen by the speaker.

Clive

Tenses, Present perfect

Goodman

#505401 Fri, 25 Apr 08 04:58 PM

Hi Anon,

Aside from Clive's explanation, may I offer you this scenario.
Picture this:

It’s Saturday. You got up at 6 am this morning (completed simple past act)and it’s now 8 o’clock. You have been up for 2 hours studying for a test on Monday. (this condition still holds true at this time)

You read all your e-mails at 8:15 (completed) but you have not replied yet ( this act is pending but condition is true).

8:30 am -You felt hungry so you went to the kitchen (completed act)

You put 2 slices of bread in the toaster and made some coffee while reading in the kitchen. (completed)

Suddenly, the phone rang and you looked at the clock on the wall.(simple past & completed) It’s now 9 am. It is Julie wanting to know if you are going to the beach with her as you promised yesterday (completed). You have just now remembered the date...

Goodman

Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005

Calif. USA

Senior Member (2,978)

The name says it all!

Dates, Simple past

Anonymous

#505452 Fri, 25 Apr 08 08:21 PM

Ok,Clive. Thank you very much.

Best wishes,

Anon

Anonymous

#505453 Fri, 25 Apr 08 08:23 PM

Hello, Goodman!

Thanks for your help.

Best wishes

Anonymous

CalifJim

#505509 Sat, 26 Apr 08 12:17 AM

Anonymous
... I have read a magazine * today ,how to explain that we don't use the Simple Past, but the Present Perfect tense here? Because the action of reading a magazine happened today, time is definite! ...

The present perfect shows indefiniteness with respect to time, yes. But you can restrict the indefiniteness with a since clause.

I have read a magazine since I saw you last.

today is a special adverb that can be used in place of a since clause with the present perfect, because (unlike adverbs like yesterday) it includes the moment of speaking:

I have read a magazine [since the beginning of this day / today].

Anonymous
... what's the difference between:

I read a magazine today. ... and I have read a magazine today. ...

The difference is subtle. The present perfect is conceptually a step removed from the real action of the simple past. The present perfect is indirect compared to the direct simple past.

I read a magazine today expresses what happened. It tells what I did directly.

I have read a magazine today expresses the existence of a state resulting from what happened. It tells what I have on my list of 'things done today'. It tells what I did, but only indirectly through the implication of what's on 'my list', which is what the sentence is really focusing on.