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

Re: I thought a spider is/was an insect

Grammar Geek — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:25:07 GMT

If you'll note the time of post, Jim and I posted a minute apart, clearly writing our posts at the same time.

I thought *only* simple present is (oops, should be was) correct, but I thought wrong. I now know that both present tense and past tense are possible

NO! "I thought..." REQUIRES past. Present tense is NOT possible!

It doesn't have to turn out to be false.It can turn out that what you thought came true.

A: You're so smart to have brought your umbrella. Can I share it?
B: Of course you can. Even though the forecast didn't call for it, I thought it might rain. I'm sure glad I brought it!

A: Why didn't you want to date me in high school?
B: Back when we were in high school, I thought you were a jerk. Now I KNOW you are a jerk. Go away.

You avoid the confusion by always using the past after "I thought," (unless it's an internal dialogue as Jim suggests above, which is NOT part of typical narrative writing).

Re: Proud

whl626 — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:22:36 GMT

All Malaysians feel proud. ( when using a simple past, it is better to specify a date OR simply put simple present )

They were proud of Malaysia. ( there is not wrong to use ' for ' but using ' of ' is much better )

They feel proud because they were Malaysians. ( were or feel is a preference but the latter sounds better )

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.

Marius Hancu — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:32:42 GMT

Welkins2139 wrote:
Marius Hancu wrote:
Welkins2139 wrote:
According to Michael Swan, we use a simple present perfect tense in sentences like that.

Could you give some of Swan's examples?

This is the first time that I've heard her sing.

Page 424.

Indeed, it is there, in the past time (5): simple present perfect and simple past (advanced points) section/this is the first time, and it is correct, of course.

The use of the present perfect with this is the first time is the preferred one in the classical literature, but this doesn't eliminate the validity of sentences such as this one in The New York Times, which I'm sure has qualified editors:

-------

THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Marketers Follow the Flock to Spring Break

... . ''This is the first time that we're trying to capture the emotional ...View free preview

March 9, 2006 - By Julie Bosman (NYT) - Education - News
----------

See the present continuous in use, which, as I said in my first post in this thread:
gives one the feeling of participation to something still going on

Aperisic has provided convincing arguments in the above.

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.

Welkins2139 — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 19:07:49 GMT

Marius Hancu wrote:
Welkins2139 wrote:
According to Michael Swan, we use a simple present perfect tense in sentences like that.

Could you give some of Swan's examples?

This is the first time that I've heard her sing.

Page 424.

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.

Marius Hancu — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 13:56:31 GMT

Welkins2139 wrote:
According to Michael Swan, we use a simple present perfect tense in sentences like that.

Could you give some of Swan's examples?

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.

Welkins2139 — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 02:14:47 GMT

According to Michael Swan, we use a simple present perfect tense in sentences like that.

Re: Some questions on grammar

Clive — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 17:56:40 GMT

Hi guys,

1. Is this sentence correct? Why not delete the preposition "on" and write as : Which day was your last anniversary?

On which day was your last anniversary? Either is OK. It depends on whether you are thinking of the anniversary as an event or as a date.

2. I thought the uses of the verbs "do" and "are" are very different and leave very little room for confusion but are these sentences valid? Their meaning seems to be slightly different though.

Do you feel like a king? Are you feeling like a king?

Obviously, you need a context for this 'king' stuff. Your question really seems to be about Simple Present versus Present Continuous. Let's look at simpler examples.

I feel sick. I am feeling sick.

These both sound acceptable to me, and for these examples there is very little difference in meaning. Possibly #2 sounds just a little more temporary, a little less definite.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: since

Anonymous — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 10:15:46 GMT

thank you very much. Can you comment on these sentences?

1. Since 1998, UT admissions does not require top-10 percenters to submit any test scores, although most do.

(here I don't understand why simple present is used instead of present perfect)

here

2. Indeed, to Telli's knowledge, no-one from the settlement had ever even seen a human being from outside the community since their ancestors had arrived there with Drakis the prophet three centuries before.

(here it seems to me as if the use of "had arrived" after "since" is natural, but you considered "I hadn't seen them since they had been married" wrong. Then, would this be correct too: "I hadn't seen them since they had been married three years before.")

here

3. Has anyone ever escaped the Khrelling since you have been here, Seth?

( Why not "were" instead of "have been" after "since"?

here

4. He ate well for the first time since he had left the camp for his last shift of work.

(to me, this is the weirdest one. O wonder whether "since" here is used as a time conjunction or reason conjunction. If time conjunction, how can you explain its use in this sequence? "simple past // since // past perfect"

here

5. By now most language teachers in the United States and Canada have heard about my Total Physical Response (TPR) approach. (Asher)

(here is it possible to use any other tenses instead of present perfect?)

6. I am the legitimate candidate for it since 1998.

(here is it corect to use "am"?)

7. We lead a very quiet life since Ralph retired.

(Is "since" a reason conjunction here? If it is a time conjunction, is there anything wrong with tense choices?"

Re: Adverbs of Time

Clive — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 00:42:20 GMT

Hi,

is it true that certain time adverbs can only be used with certain tenses?

I think you should look at each adverb and think a little more carefully about whether you can use it with another tense. Try to make some sentences. I just went through and thought of the following examples. Maybe you can think of more.

Best wishes, Clive

1. simple present : with frequency adverbs, on Sundays..., in the mornings..., everyday, every Sunday/summer... Last year, I called my mother every day.

2. present continuous: now, at the moment, at present, currently, Last year, I called my mother every day. Now, I don't call her.

3. simple past: freuency adverbs, yesterday, last week..., two days...ago, in 1999, at 7 o'clock, for, lately, recently I was watching TV yesterday, ewhen my mother called.

4. present perfect: frequency adverbs, now, just, already, yet, since, for, recently, lately, so far, up to/till now, as yet, to date, for the past two weeks..., in the last two weeks..., I had just gone to bed when my mother called.

5. simple future: tomorrow, next week...on Monday, I called my mother on Monday.

Adverbs of Time

Diamondrg — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 17:12:06 GMT

is it true that certain time adverbs can only be used with certain tenses?

1. simple present : with frequency adverbs, on Sundays..., in the mornings..., everyday, every Sunday/summer...

2. present continuous: now, at the moment, at present, currently,

3. simple past: freuency adverbs, yesterday, last week..., two days...ago, in 1999, at 7 o'clock, for, lately, recently

4. present perfect: frequency adverbs, now, just, already, yet, since, for, recently, lately, so far, up to/till now, as yet, to date, for the past two weeks..., in the last two weeks...,

5. simple future: tomorrow, next week...on Monday,

is there anything wrong or anything to add?

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

Re: I thought a spider is/was an insect

Re: Proud

Re: This is the first time Hamas *is running* candidates for parliament.

THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Marketers Follow the Flock to Spring Break

Re: This is the first time Hamas *is running* candidates for parliament.

Re: This is the first time Hamas *is running* candidates for parliament.

Re: This is the first time Hamas *is running* candidates for parliament.

Re: Some questions on grammar

Re: since

Re: Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of Time

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.

Re: This is the first time Hamas is running candidates for parliament.