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Tung Quoc

#319592 Thu, 25 Jan 07 03:20 AM

Hi,

Would you say (a) or (b)? If only one of them is right, please explain me why wrong. If both, please tell me the difference in meaning between them:

This is the second time he’s come there.
This is the second time he came there.

Thanks

Quoc

Tung Quoc

Joined on Sun, Sep 17 2006

Regular Member (870)

Yoong Liat

#319599 Thu, 25 Jan 07 03:52 AM

Tung Quoc wrote:

Hi,

This is the second time he’s come there.
This is the second time he came there.

Thanks

Quoc

Only #1 is correct. The reason is that he may come a third time.

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (6,100)

Yoong Liat

Philip

#319625 Thu, 25 Jan 07 05:12 AM

Yoong Liat wrote:
Tung Quoc wrote:

Hi,

This is the second time he’s come there.
This is the second time he came there.

Thanks

Quoc

Only #1 is correct. The reason is that he may come a third time.

In the first place, I would use "went/has gone", since the place in not "here". Secondly, I use 's only as a contraction with 'is', not with 'has'. Either would be correct, depending on the circumstance.

Philip

Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005

USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)

Veteran Member (6,333)

At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen

Contractions

Marius Hancu

#319678 Thu, 25 Jan 07 09:31 AM

This is the second time he’s come there. Something recent and related to present, requires present perfect and this
That was the second time he came there. Something more distant in time, requires simple past and that, IMO.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)