In Present tenses^x, Grammar^x, Simple past^x

hi: I have a question about English tense. could you explain the use of tense in the following paragraph? (bold italic added) "In the 16th c. there are some traces of a perception that the word might have an extended application to other languages. But it was not before the 17 th c. that it...

(1) (Use simple present, "don't.") The album is eternal, so to speak, and critics may continue to make comments in the present, eg., the album does have enjoyable moments. (2) Use "joined." All the other comments here are in simple past. "Go" doesn't really...

Any good grammar book will tell you that the simple present tense is frequently used and also perfectly acceptable in reported speech when you are reporting a general truth or a still current (still currently factual) situation. In such cases, you can use either the simple past OR the simple...

Yesterday, I was joint in a interview in s-fone corp. It is difficult to pass this exam because it very hard. This exam include two parts : IQ part and English part. In IQ part , I did quite well , but English part I don’t understand any sentence . I am studying lines-lines Books,...

Bokeh wrote: Grammar Geek wrote: Are you saying that the simple past is not used for recent events in BrE? What about:I think I saw a ghost! GG, that example has different context. You are specifically stating that the sighting is over; if it were not you would use the present tense: I think...

Grammar Geek wrote:Are you saying that the simple past is not used for recent events in BrE? What about:I think I saw a ghost!GG, that example has different context. You are specifically stating that the sighting is over; if it were not you would use the present tense: I think I and that it is...

Many thanks to all of you, especially to GG for his very clear explanation!Grammar Geek, could you do me a favour? I'd much appreciate if you could take a look at these questions and answer (at least) some of them, at you convenience... :2/ A very similar problem emerges with 'I'm waiting for...

While doing some reported/indirect speech stuff (again!) lots of questions has come to my mind. Here are some of them. 1/ 'I never eat meat', (Bill said/explained) -> turns into -> Bill said/explained (that) he never ate meat. - This is the normal way in which most of us would...

Hello Xavier, you're right of course: Communication is one of the tasks of language. The Grammar is "late": Language follows special patterns (word order, inflection, cases, conjugation, etc) - language has to follow those patterns as without them, communication wouldn't be possible. The only...

For my home grammar assignment I am to "describe the form of the verb phrases in the following sentences (:finiteness, tense, modality, aspect, voice): 1. The house had been painted a bright red before it was sold. 2. Pigeons will be nesting on the statue's head. 3. It is good to have seen them...