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Lcchang

#526216 Thu, 12 Jun 08 09:53 AM

We will have to stand at the back of the auditorium because the volunteers __ all of the seats by now.

(A) will take
(B) will be taking
(C) will have taken
(D) will have been taking

The answer is C, according to the answer key. However, I think by now should be corrected to by then. What do you think?

Lcchang

Joined on Mon, Feb 27 2006

Northern Taiwan

Contributing Member (1,005)

Life will never end.

Yoong Liat

#526221 Thu, 12 Jun 08 10:13 AM

Lcchang

We will have to stand at the back of the auditorium because the volunteers will have taken all of the seats by now.

What is your reason for thinking that it should be changed to 'by then' when 'will' is in the sentence?

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (6,006)

Yoong Liat

Clive

#526464 Thu, 12 Jun 08 07:34 PM

Hi guys,
We will have to stand at the back of the auditorium because the volunteers __ all of the seats by now.

In a sentence like this, without any further context, I wouldn't say 'by now'. I'd say 'by then' or perhaps 'by that time'.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (21,162)

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

Mr Wordy

#526489 Thu, 12 Jun 08 09:20 PM

In my view both are fine, depending on context.

If the volunteers are expected to be already sitting in their seats (for example, you're standing outside the auditorium just a few minutes before the event starts), then you would say "by now''. But if you were looking some time ahead -- say to the next day -- then you would say "by then".

In another interpretation, "taken" could mean "booked", in which case different example scenarios apply but the principle is the same.

Mr Wordy

Joined on Tue, May 27 2008

Regular Member (960)

Native British English speaker

Lcchang

#526555 Fri, 13 Jun 08 01:46 AM

In my own opinion, "by now" should be used with present perfect tense as it is indicated something happened in the past and continues to this moment. I hardly can relate that to future or future perfect.

Lcchang

Tenses, Present perfect

Mr Wordy

#526562 Fri, 13 Jun 08 02:00 AM

Lcchang
In my own opinion, "by now" should be used with present perfect tense as it is indicated something happened in the past and continues to this moment. I hardly can relate that to future or future perfect.

I don't know the proper grammatical terminology here, but in "will have taken all of the seats by now", I don't think that "will have taken" is really acting as a future perfect. The root tense is "have taken", and "will" adds a sense that means something like "my assumption, which I'm pretty confident about, is that..."

Mr Wordy

Tenses, Present perfect

CalifJim

#526572 Fri, 13 Jun 08 02:17 AM

Lcchang
I think by now should be corrected to by then. What do you think?

You can change it, but it wouldn't be a "correction" because both are correct. It depends on whether you take the statement to apply to now or later (then). When does the speaker believe the point is reached at which all seats are taken? Already as he speaks (now)? Or at a later time (then)?

With the future perfect the by clause can even indicate time before the time of speaking.

I would have liked to buy that new book by Hauptenstein, but I'm afraid I've waited way too long. I imagine it will have already sold out by last week.