http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#182346Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:182346MrPedantic0http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#182346http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-182346.xmlOr "...if ever there was one". MrPhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#182075Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:182075Mister Micawber1http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#182075http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-182075.xmlYeah, that's good too, Sam.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#182073Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:182073Sam C2http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#182073http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-182073.xmlMister Micawber wrote: I'd say, if I've ever seen one . not 'if ever i've seen one'?http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#181933Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:181933Mister Micawber3http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#181933http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-181933.xmlI'd say, if I've ever seen one . The literal meaning is much as it states: if I have ever seen a bike that I considered awesome, it looked like this one does . The semantic message is: This bike is certainly awesome .http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#181912Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:181912jack1124http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#181912http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-181912.xml1. Now, there is an awesome loooking bike if I have ever seen it. (Is this correct? What is the meaning of this sentence? I don't understand the 'have ever seen it' part.) Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#179850Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:179850MrPedantic5http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#179850http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-179850.xmlHello Jack I've changed them slightly, to make them more idiomatic: 1. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. I was busy. ] I am getting back to you now. I was busy. 2. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. I have been busy. ] I am getting back to you now. I was busy and I'm still busy. 3. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I was busy. ] I got back to you in the past. I was busy. MrPhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#179648Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:179648jack1126http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/2/cbprm/Post.htm#179648http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-179648.xml1. Sorry, it has taken me a while to get back to you. I was busy. (Is this one correct? It is better to use #2 right?) 2. Sorry, it has taken me a while to get back to you. I have been busy. 3. Sorry, it took me a while to get back to you. I was busy. (Are #2 and #3 pretty much the same in meaning except that #2 states a time in the past to present?) Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#179132Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:179132MrPedantic7http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#179132http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-179132.xmlThat's interesting. Maybe there's a BrE/AmE division here. I'd say: 1. I've been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one is answering. ] Fine; neutral. 2. I had been calling them for 30 minutes and no one was answering. ] Fine as modified. 3. I've been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one has been answering. ] Fine; "emphatic" or "pointed" or "through gritted teeth". MrPhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#178690Tue, 26 May 2009 22:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:178690Mister Micawber8http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#178690http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-178690.xmlWell, I definitely like and use #3. I suppose that #1 is possible in conversation, with the speaker stressing that there has still been no answer right up to now (yet note that I automatically go to present perfect in my explication). #2 repels me.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#178684Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:178684Anonymous9http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#178684http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-178684.xml&lt;Are both of these correct? If not, why?&gt; You say "both", but you posted three examples. &lt;1. I have been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one is picking up.&gt; Correct. &lt;2. I have been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one was picking up. (If this one is incorrect, why so? #1 is right and #1 uses only past tense? Is the structure for #2 supposed to be present perfect + present tense?)&gt; Incorrect. "calling for thirty minutes now" means that you are still trying to get through. &lt;3. I have been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one has been picking up. (Is this one correct? Would you use this one out of all the other ones?)&gt; Incorrect. If someone had picked up, why would you keep...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#178682Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:178682jack11210http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#178682http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-178682.xmlAre both of these correct? If not, why? 1. I have been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one is picking up. 2. I have been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one was picking up. (If this one is incorrect, why so? #1 is right and #1 uses only past tense? Is the structure for #2 supposed to be present perfect + present tense?) 3. I have been calling them for 30 minutes now and no one has been picking up. (Is this one correct? Would you use this one out of all the other ones?) Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#177987Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:177987Mister Micawber11http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#177987http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-177987.xmlNice observation, MrP. In discourse, it could well be. I would like to see the speaker expostulate more about his poor memory, however.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#176853Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:176853MrPedantic12http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#176853http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-176853.xmlInteresting. I wonder whether we can say that the "Then again" corrects the present perfect + "never" of the first sentence, as a stylistic device. Though it is a little unclear and tortuously written. Maybe: 1. I have never had a problem with my heater draining the battery. Then again , last summer I had to replace a fried rectifier. MrPhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#176656Tue, 26 May 2009 22:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:176656jack11213http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#176656http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-176656.xml1. I have never had a problem with my heater draining the battery except for that summer summer I replaced a fried rectifier. (Is this okay with present perfect? Could I also use past perfect here too?) Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#176338Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:176338Mister Micawber14http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htm#176338http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-176338.xmlYes, I think you should put the first verb in past perfect, since the fact no longer holds true (if I understand your mechanics aright).http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htmThu, 26 Mar 2009 23:10:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:176302jack11215http://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfect/cbprm/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-176302.xml1. I have never had a problem with my heater draining the battery. Then again , came summer I replaced a fried rectifier. (Is the latter sentence okay with the first sentence with present perfect? Or do I need to use past perfect for the first sentence?) Thanks.