Search results for 'tag:Grammar tag:Tenses' matching tags 'Grammar' and 'Tenses'

Re: A question about tense usage in "since clause"

Viceidol — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:59:03 GMT

Mr Wordy

(But I notice you say "I didn't translate it very well". So, the explanation is not written in English? Is it possible that you're still mistranslating it?)

No, my understanding this time is right. Then I believe this part of my grammar book must be wrong.

I'd really like to ask further into this question. Allow me to write a new post to discuss it. Thank you, Mr. Wordy. You've helped me a lot!

Re: A question about tense usage in "since clause"

Viceidol — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:41:06 GMT

Hello, Mr. Wordy, may I ask one more question?

One of my grammar boooks gives the following interpretation:

It's a long time since he lived there. (It suggests "He does not live there for a long time.")

It's a long time since he has lived there. (It suggests "He lives there for a long time.")

Is that right? What do you think?

Sorry to bother.

Re: grammar concern

Mister Micawber — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:49:59 GMT

.
You are printing a certificate which states a factual event in historical time. The verb tense you use has nothing to do with when you conceive, print or present the certificate. Use the simple past with the date service began and the date service finished.

Re: grammar concern

snowfalcon — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:10:48 GMT

Hello,

I am the one who posed the original question (not anonymous now). Mr. Micawber, you chose "He provided service from August 2006 to August 2008". Is this necessarily wrong, "He has provided service since August 2006" ? We are printing the award in July, so, it is not a little awkward to use past tense for a line printed in the present about a term ending in the future? I am browsing through the documentation of this site, http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/tenses.html#present%20perfect.

-A

Re: IN SPEECH

Clive — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:31:08 GMT

Hi,
I was listening to some types of speeches and have some questions.

1.When someone says this, does he have to make it known that it is quoted? Not if he doesn't want to. Such 'rules' are not governed by grammar. A teacher, for example, may insist that a student identify every quotation. I think the written version should be in quotation marks because not being in quotation marks doesn't make sense to me.

Next time is later again.<<< This doesn't make any sense to me. What does it mean?

2.Can we have a present perfect after a dependant clause like "After you heard it" in the past tense? It certainly sounds odd in this example. I can't think of another example in which it sounds OK, although I don't like to say an absolute 'No, never'.

After you heard it, you have decided to come back again. Thank you. Nice to see you all here again.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: 'Page-turner' A cliche?

Philip — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:53:39 GMT

Grammar Geek

Philip, you need to replace "you southerners" with "you gals."

A bodice-ripper is a romantic novel usually involving some combination of heaving bosoms, castles, swords, and rogues with hearts of gold. The covers have absurdly muscled men with their shirts in tatters, with one arm wrapped around the damsel in a pose of intense passion.

Frankly, it's a mainstay of my summer reading.

Actually, within an hour after posting that joke to the "southerners", I learned from a friend exactly what a "bodice ripper" is. I should have known, since until recently I often posed for artists making covers for those books.

Re: have got

Yoong Liat — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:53:59 GMT

New2grammar
HAHAH.. yes yes..your emoticon is working and so does your links. I wish I could help but I just don't see any issues with your so called problems.

Off topic:
The inconsistency of the tenses kind of annoys me: It's a brand-new one when I bought it.

I think in speaking, it is OK to use "It's". Correct me If I'm wrong.

But written in full, it should be "It was ... "

Re: have got

Yoong Liat — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:48:49 GMT

New2grammar
HAHAH.. yes yes..your emoticon is working and so does your links. I wish I could help but I just don't see any issues with your so called problems.

Off topic:
The inconsistency of the tenses kind of annoys me: It's a brand-new one when I bought it.

Some people cannot afford new computers, so they buy used ones.

I had the money to buy a new computer, so I bought a new one.

Now I have not enough money to buy a brand-new one.

Re: staying away

26TMNTJG2PG — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:47:08 GMT

New2grammar
I understand explaining tenses is not the easiest thing in the world. While I appreciate your attempt, it's basically the definitions of the tenses. If you don't mind, could youprovide an example where one is better than the other so I will get an idea when to use which? Please stick to the same words/expression but in a different scenario/setting. I completely understand if it's not possible. Thanks, anyway.

Tense is a form assumed by a verb to show the time in which an event occurs and the degree of completeness of such event

at the time of its occurrence. To decide on which tense is more suitable will depend on a given situation.

In a situation where you are required to compare tourist arrivals in a previous period with those of the present period which ends

beyond your time of presentation and you will have to rely on estimates, you will use the earlier sentence to account
for the

unfavourable variance.

In another situation where you are required to compare tourist arrivals in a previous period with those of the present period

which has ended beyond your time of presentation and you have the actual figures, you will use the later sentence to

account for the unfavourable variance.

I've been "wanting" to visit Paris all my life.

Viceidol — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:21:02 GMT

Hello, everyone. My grammar book says the following example is true:

I've been wanting to visit Paris all my life.

The book says "normally want cannot be used in progrssive tense, but it does in this case (present perfect continuous tense)" (p.s. The book is not written by a native speaker)

May I ask if what the book says is true? Please help me with this, thank you very much!!