Help me with these confusing tenses

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OrcaDeen  #498022  Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:03 PM

Hi,

 kindly answer the following confusing question and make us all learn this grammatical rule

In a certain dialogue between two persons, one of them is saying that he saw (past) some other people who are deceptive and think ill of others

what are the tenses I should put the sentence in

" I have noticed there are plenty of people, whose faith is of no use in their social dealings, think ill of others even before communicating with them. "

Thanks in advance

if my inquiry is not clear, I hope you let me know

  
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OrcaDeen
Mister Micawber  #498028  Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:10 PM
.
These are fine:

I noticed / have noticed (that) there are plenty of people whose faith is of no use in their social dealings and who think ill of others even before communicating with them.

  
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OrcaDeen  #498042  Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:26 PM

Thank you so much it was extremly confusing

But the phrase" whose faith is of no use in their social dealings " is parenthetical

 

  
OrcaDeen  #498045  Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:29 PM

 

Another confusing tenses ,please

what if I have been away from my viallage and once I returned people from everywhere kept telling me the news of a man

Is this ok:

"Since my return to the village, I have been learning, from every nook and cranny, all that has befallen the butcher after my travel.

  
Grammar Geek  #498049  Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:38 PM

The "I have been learning" is okay - it shows that it's still going on right now.

"From every nook and cranny" isn't quite right. It's a perfectly good expression, but it should be used for physical things, unless the walls themselves are whispering to you. Try "from every quarter."

Your "has befallen" is also okay - it brings whatever it is that has happened right up to the present time.

But "after my travel" doesn't work - I'd say use "since my departure" but I don't like two "sinces" in the same sentence. How about "from the time I left"?

  
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OrcaDeen  #498054  Tue, 08 Apr 08 01:45 PM

I'm ok with your suggestions 

 

thank you so much

you'r such an expert, indeed

  
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