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

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

Mr Wordy — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:55:15 GMT

Viceidol
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.")

Are you sure that you copied those right-hand sentences correctly? Neither of them is good English, except, unusually, in the context of a present-tense narrative, which I can't imagine is the intention here (and in any case would not lead to correct interpretations of the sentences in italics).

To me, there is no material difference in meaning between the two sentences in italics. Both mean that he used to live there, but he left a long time ago and does not live there now.

More generally, though, the simple past means that we're referring to a single instance of whatever activity it is, and the perfect tense tends to suggest several instances or a pattern of behaviour. This difference is of little importance with the verb "lived", but in other cases it can be more apparent. For example,

It's a long time since he's visited America. -- Suggests that he previously visited America several times, perhaps regularly, but that this pattern of behaviour stopped a long time ago.

It's a long time since he visited America. -- Means that it's been a long time since that last specific visit. (Note, though, that it's quite possible to use this form even if he used to visit regularly, because there's always a last specific visit.)

Pigeon roosting problem - past or present tense?

Peaceblinkfriend — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:37:04 GMT

Hi all,

If you are describing to your friend about how pigeons would roost on the window ledges at the place where you lived, would you use the past tense of the verb 'roosted' or the present tense, 'roost'? Supposing there are still pigeons roosting on the window ledges where you used to live.

"Pigeons roosted on the window ledge. And I'm talking about the window in my room. Can you believe it?"
"Pigeons roost on the window ledge. And I'm talking about the window in my room. Can you believe it? "

Thanks

PBF

Ungrammatical? "She belted most of a bottle of wine down before dinner had even begun."

Peaceblinkfriend — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:29:27 GMT

She belted most of a bottle of wine down before dinner had even begun.

This is an example sentence provided for the entry on the 'belt down' in a Chamber's guidebook on phrasal verbs. And from what I have learned about Past Perfect, it seems to me that it is ungrammatical that 'had even begun' is in Past Perfect tense. I reckon it should be 'She had belted most of a bottle of wine down before dinner even began' instead. I know it is probably presumptuous to say this, but anyhow, I will be virtually over the moon if I got this right.

Thanks

PBF

Re: grammar concern

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

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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: collapsed

Mister Micawber — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:46:43 GMT

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Nice verb tenses!

The building collapsed in the earthquake.

The building had collapsed after / because of the earthquake.

The buildings collapsed when the earthquake happened.

Re: "I thought it was" VS "I thought it is"

Skrej — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:41:13 GMT

'I thought it was mine is correct.' You need to use past tense 'was' because you used past tense 'thought' in the first part of the sentence.

Otherwise, you end up mixing verb tenses.

Reporting ''You have got to buy that book. It's a real page-turner.''

Peaceblinkfriend — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:31:48 GMT

Hi all

''You have got to buy that book. It's a real page-turner.''

He said (that) I had to buy that book and that it is a real page-turner.

Does this report structure sound natural to you? I have used the present tense for the second verb in the reported clause to put emphasis on the fact that the book is still a 'real page-turner'. Would you say it is necessary to do so? Lastly, is it considered good style to use two different tenses in a reported clause?

Thank you

PBF

Phrasal Verbs

Ritwik06 — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:22:10 GMT

Here are some exercises in which I have certain doubts to clear. I have to use a phrasal verb in the correct tense(the hint of which is given in brackets). Please correct me if I am wrong.

1. A good tree __ good fruit. (bring)

brings out

2. his small income __ his standard of living. (bring)

brought down

3. Impure water __ diseases. (bring)

bring about

4. We ___ for summer holi days in May. (break)

break up

5. Her shoes are __ with her dress. (go)

going well

6.She could not __ her tears after hearing the abusive words.

hold up/ keep up. I think its "hold up"

7. She "keeps back" nothing from her parents. Is it correct?

8. We ___ our constitution to give us a political solution. (look)

look into?

9.The writer has ___ early this year. (set)

set out

10. She is __ because of her illness. (run)

no idea

Presposition:

After the accident, the man could not call ___ past events.

back

Re: there had

Skrej — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:25:14 GMT

No. You need to use the past tense of the 'to be' verb here.

Long ago, there was a goatherd named John.

Re: tense - presenting a person

Mister Micawber — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:11:00 GMT

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All such uses, when correctly applied, relate the past event to the present situation in some way-- that is the general boundary of the use of the present perfect verb aspect.

The original poster wished to introduce a person, including indicating that the person was a college graduate: here,. simple past is appropriate. In the latest Anon post, the excerpts wish to stress that the person mentioned should have graduated by now (= the current point of reference in each case)-- thus relating the past event to the present. The same reasoning applies when present perfect is used to refer to a recent past event-- it is not simply that the event occurred not long ago, but that it occurred not long before now.

Does that help you understand, Anon?
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