Tenses shift

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Anonymous  #227201  Sat, 20 May 06 11:05 AM

Dear Group,

Can I start a sentence in present perfect tense and then later go into past tense while being on same subject.

e.g. We've been to the local supermarkets and brought some stationeries and etc.

Appreciate if anyone could comment, thank you.

Regards,

Jeeva   

  
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MrPedantic  #227216  Sat, 20 May 06 12:46 PM

Hello Jeeva

Your example is a little misleading, as it allows for ellipsis, i.e.

1. We have been to the local supermarket and (have) bought some stationery, etc.

To test for whether we can mix the present perfect with the simple past, we need to use an irregular verb for the second verb. Here's an example. First, a present perfect in both clauses, as in #1:

2. We've been to Buckingham Palace and (have) seen the Queen.

Now compare:

3. We've been to Buckingham Palace and saw the Queen.

To my ears, this is a little awkward; it would be better to use either #2, or to write:

4. We've been to Buckingham Palace; we saw the Queen.

MrP

  
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Marius Hancu  #227303  Sat, 20 May 06 05:57 PM
MrP said:

>2. We've been to Buckingham Palace and (have) seen the Queen.

Yes, I too prefer this version.

The others are playing with the temporal sense of the reader and possibly messing him up.
  
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CalifJim  #227703  Mon, 22 May 06 07:10 AM
we need to use an irregular verb for the second verb

Wasn't brought [sic] (bought) irregular?  Smile [:)]

CJ
  
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MrPedantic  #227918  Tue, 23 May 06 12:40 AM

So it is!

I was looking for a word that meant "with different forms for the past participle and simple past". The wrong one presented itself...

  
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