By Present perfect, Adjuncts

Native speakers studiously avoid using the present perfect with adjuncts denoting past time because one of the main purposes of the present perfect is to highlight a past action, to make a past action seem important. That's why it is seldom done. But it is not a complete impossibility. It does...

None of us has to be an authority to cite commonly known things about public figures. Comments like that aren't targeted against the other party in the argument. Comments like that should, one, have a degree of truthfulness to them. I'm not aware of any "commonly known things" that would lead...

I would take the 'last year' here as an afterthought, that clarifies 'already': 1. I've already discussed that (last year). Ergo, the collocation sometimes exists. What both Swan and the CGEL are pointing up is how prescriptive grammars and prescriptive grammarians, largely through their own...

Michael Swan - Practical English Usage 419-3 Grammars usually say that the present perfect cannot be used together with expressions of finished time. ... In fact, such structures are unusual but not impossible (though learners should avoid them). ================== CGEL: Past time adjuncts in...

All the following exchanges contain "mistakes". I am finding it incredibly difficualt to explain what these mistakes are, as I dont fully understand them to BE mistakes. Can anybody help me solve these problems? I would greatly appreciate all help given (I certainly need it!) 1 "Have you got...

And a good day to you, Mr P. I see your point. But they are different situations. It's not logical to suggest that one grammar pattern can extend to all situations; there are obvious semantic considerations. Allow me to explain and then please point out where you feel I’ve erred. As I’ve often...