Search results for 'tag:Idioms tag:Simple present' matching tags 'Idioms' and 'Simple present'

Re: same conditional?

CalifJim — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:24:58 GMT

I don't really know exactly why I said "wrong" in one place and "awkward" in another!

Your question in the other thread seemed to focus on mixed conditionals, and I didn't want to leave you with the impression that all mixed conditionals are wrong. Maybe that's why I said "awkward". Here's a better example:

If you had paid attention in Japanese class when you were in college, you would be able to translate for us on our trip to Japan this coming fall.

Perhaps I should revise my opinion on your example below. The problem, I think, is lack of context. This sentence can work in the right context. It's rare for that context to come up, I think, so on first reading it sounds completely wrong as an isolated sentence.

I would be happy if no one had been there.

_______

would like is an entirely different case, because it's an idiom for want. Here the would is not necessarily taken as the would of a conditional pattern, but as a simple present tense. That's why the idiomatic combination would like can go in the if clause.

Take it if you would like to have it = Take it if you want (to have) it.

like, on its own, is somewhat different in meaning from would like.

Take it if you like it. = Take it if it pleases you.

You can use would like with the would of the conditional pattern and like of being pleasing, but that works differently, like this:

If you tried it, you would like it. = If you tried it, it would please you.

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Teo — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:09:54 GMT

They won't smoke ever since they saw a film on lung cancer.

What does "won't" mean here?

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Teo — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:09:49 GMT

http://forums.eslcafe.com/student/viewtopic.php?t=22113&highlight=

Re: Since when did u?

Kooyeen — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:47:49 GMT

Hi,
"since when" is used with another meaning, it's a kind of idiom, and it's used when you are very surprised. It's used with a lot of different tenses. I have to say I've never really understood which tenses to use with it, but I think it's usually used with the simple present:

You are going to your sister's? Since when do you care about your family?
You are going to give a present to Mary Hotson? Since when do you even know her?

Maybe GG or some other native might tell you (an me ) more.

Re: correct sentences 24/11

Inchoateknowledge — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 09:29:55 GMT

Dear teachers,

Would you please tell which sentences are wrong and why?

1 a) I feel better since I moved house.OK

b) I am feeling much better since I have moved house.OK

(if both are correct what would be the difference between them, please?)

b) means you have recently moved house/houses.

2. She no longer visits since she got married. (is it possible to use the simple present here with âsinceâ?)

(Yes, either in the main clause above, or in the subordinate clause where since have different syntactical function:conjunction word in the reason clause, and not a preposition.)

In your sentence above, the present tense is OK, and expresses a change in a situation.

I am seeing a lot of you since you are living here.

3. She doesn't come and see us (anymore) now that she is / has got (possible too?YES, and almost equal in meaning) married.

4a) It is / has been twenty years since I have seen her. OK

b) It is / has been twenty years since I last saw her. OK

(are all four versions correct ? If yes, is there a difference in meaning between them?)

It is/has been 20 years since I last saw her.

It has been/is 20 years since I have last seen him.

5) Whether she plays on Saturday(s) (is âor notâ necessary here ? NO, but OK) depends on what her doctor says.

6) I've been miserable ever since my family died in a car crash.

(correct ? or would you rather put âdepressedâ, âMy life has been shatteredâ) -- shattered my outlook on life, shattered my hopes

I feel miserable, depressed, below par, to be sick at heart, to be downhearted, etc.

to move house/houses is an idiom

Peter

Re: choice of tense

CalifJim — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:15:34 GMT

The present tenses (present (simple) and present progressive) can express future time in English, not just the will form. The idiom going to also expresses future time.

She [plays / is playing / will play / is going to play] on Saturday.

All can be used for future time.

If the main clause is in the future or the imperative, a secondary clause of time (by the time, as soon as, ...) is in the present or present perfect. If the present is used, we're looking at it from a forward point of view, from now until that future point in time. It has the sense of waiting. If the present perfect is used, we're looking at it from a backward point of view. From that future point in time, it will already have happened.

The present perfect seems to me to be used more in cases of completion of a task or a trajectory (finish, arrive). It is also less used in general than the simple present in that context.

Don't forget to give me your phone number before you [go / ?have gone]. (not completion of a task)
Don't you dare leave the house before you [do / have done] your homework. (completion of a task)
When you [see / ?have seen] me, you will recognize me. (not completion of a task)
I'll let you know once I [confirm / have confirmed] the reservations. (completion of a task)
When you [know / *have known] the answer, please tell me, too. (not completion of a task)
When he [fixes / has fixed] the television, I'll pay him, and not a minute sooner. (completion of a task)

CJ

Re: Simple past or present perfect?

MrPedantic — Fri, 29 Oct 2004 00:37:31 GMT

Hello Starlet

Unfortunately it's not always possible to map Italian tenses directly
to English ones, but here's a rough guide. It's probably easiest to
take each tense separately in each language:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Passato remoto

Usually becomes the simple past, e.g. 'disse' > 'he said'.

(There is no special literary equivalent of the 'passato remoto'
in English.)

2. Passato prossimo

This often becomes the simple past, e.g. 'mi ha detto
tutto' > 'he told me everything'.

However, if the action has some kind of connection with
the present, you would use the 'present perfect', e.g.
'l'ho appena visto' > 'I have just seen him'.

3. Present perfect

This will usually translate directly into the 'passato prossimo',
e.g. 'have you seen the film' > 'hai visto il film?'

4. Present perfect continuous

This often translates into a simple present, e.g.
'it's been raining for 3 hours' > 'piove da tre ore'.

5. Simple past

This will translate into the 'passato prossimo' or 'passato
remoto', e.g. 'I bought a book' > 'ho comprato un libro'.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I say, a very rough guide, which doesn't take account of all the
strange idioms in each language. But you can always post examples
of your translations on this site for other users to check, if you're
uncertain!

MrP