By Expressions, Past tenses

There's an expression, "to let the cat out of the bag," which applies here. Monica must have let the cat out of the bag. OR (imperative) Don't let the cat out of the bag.I hear, "Keep a lid on it," "Keep the lid on it," but I don't often hear about...

It's acceptable, but after the expression "It's time" the past tense (with present meaning) is the usual pattern.CJ

Hi,... and somebody says it's subjunctive. See also:http://www.englishforums.com/English/ChangingTenses/dqcdx/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/WhichSentencesAreCorrect/zjbhp/post.htm

You're pretty much right. It means to make an embarrassing and public mistake. I checked several on-line references and didn't find any that define this expression.Note that it doesn't have to be "did step in it". In fact, your examples can be modified:Definitely, Obama...

Hello. Sorry to hear you're feeling uncomfortable with this type of activity. But you're not alone: I would be, too!The sentences lack context, which makes it difficult to tell when tense changes are necessary and when they are not (among other things).There is one sentence that is wrong...

The past tense is used for more than just indicating past time. It's used in an if-clause that goes with a would-clause. This is the general rule. That said, the formulas Would you mind if I ...? Would it bother you if I ... ? and similar expressions are special cases where, informally,...

Hi FandorinYou seem to be mixing things up.Angliholic's sentence is not an example of the idiomatic "to have got", which means basically the same thing as "to have" or "to possess".In that idiom, it is not possible to change the word 'got' to...

Eladio wrote:What’s the difference between these two sentences? I read both in a dictionary and I’m confused. She wasn’t used to him away but she soon got used to it. Now she is used to seeing him once in a year. She didn’t use to him away but she soon got used to it. Now she is used to seeing...

Anonymous wrote:Thanks Yankee. The original sentence is I've got to go on a business journey to Rome next weekend. journey has to be changed to trip, right? But my friend insisted that this sentence is right: I've got a journey to go on business in Rome next week.I agree with CJ that you...

Hoa Thai wrote: Dear all, First, I would like to thank you in advance for reading this rather lengthy post of mine. I do need to lay out my thinking and reasoning as wide as I can so you can best help me to untangle my own confusion...