http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=tag%3apast+tenses+tag%3aPast+SimpleSearch results for 'tag:past tenses tag:Past Simple' matching tags 'past tenses' and 'Past Simple'en-USXMOD (Build: 3715.30106)http://www.englishforums.com/English/HadHas/2/nrphv/Post.htm#1090393Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:51:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1090393michalsMary has cooked dinner means that she cooked dinner awhile ago and it's now ready to be eaten. Yes, that's true. It's one of the usages of the Present Perfect. Something happened in the past but the outcome is still relevant in the present. For example: I am all wet because I have been runing . (Present Perfect Continuous) You're bleeding. Have you cut yourself? (Present Perfect Simple) Mary had cooked dinner means that it happened long ago and is no longer relevant in the present. Well, it may be true but it's not exactly what the Past Perfect expresses. You use this tense to show that a given action happened another action in the past (expressed by the Past Simple , not Present Perfect ). Both actions...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IveHad/nrvjd/post.htm#1087106Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:40:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1087106michalsI've had my pc reformatted = present perfect I had my pc reformatted = past simple I had had my pc reformatted = past perfect These sentences use the structure 'have something done' that is have someone to do certain things for you . In your sentences, it's not you who reformatted the pc, but someone else, probably a specialist. You asked about the difference between the present perfect and past simple in these sentences. Try to determine it yourself and we'll check it for you. Past Perfect is used only when there is a need to use it, that is, when 2 or more actions happened in the past, one of which happened even earlier than the other one(s). When we arrived, he had left. (= First he left, then we...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IveHad/nrvjd/post.htm#1087086Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:21:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1087086michalsThe first one is present perfect while the second one is past simple. Both are in the passive. The difference is that of between present perfect and past simple, which is discussed daily on this forum.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DoIUseBeganOrBegunHere/mqrjw/post.htm#1081044Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:57:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1081044dokterjokkebrokHi, It begins present simple tense ( begin -began-begun) It is beginning present progressive tense ( begin -began-begun) It began past simple tense ( begin - began -begun) It has/had begun present/past perfect tense ( begin -began- begun ) If you want to make a past perfect tense, make sure you use a past participle . (begin-began- begun ). Past perfect tense = HAD + PAST PARTICIPLE Regards, Dokterjokkebrokhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/IdentifyTenseGrammarPoint/mppkn/post.htmWed, 10 Mar 2010 02:18:25 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1080465cjalowyQuestion is: Identify the tense or grammar point, state the usage for the following sentence. 1: Can you play the harpsichord? tense/grammar point usage: I'm trying to figure this out, is it asking if it's one of these? Past Continuous Present Simple Passive Present Perfect Future Intent Present Perfect Continuous Past Simple Passive Future Prediction Present Simple Present Continuous Past Simplehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/mxhdg/post.htm#1073281Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:47:50 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1073281vocabfishNot only did (past simple) he run, but he also talked (past simple) . Notice that the tense in each clause is the same. - vocabfishhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastPerfectContinuousSentence/mxhlw/post.htm#1073269Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:43:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1073269vocabfishGreat observation! You are absolutely correct in your thought about the tenses matching. He controls (present simple) Andrew's Gold Imports and has been running (present perfect continuous) the business for almost ten years. He controlled (past simple) Andrew's Gold Imports and had run (past perfect) the business for almost ten years. He controlled (past simple) Andre's Gold Imports and had been running (past perfect continuous) the business for almost ten years when he suffered (past simple) a heart attack. - vocabfishhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastPerfectContinuousSentence/mxhlw/post.htm#1073266Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:41:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1073266mister micawber1-- The writer wished to emphasize that past duration of time, energy and knowledge. 2-- Past simple and continuous do not work; they intimate that he is no longer running it. 3-- Probably not.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastPerfectContinuousSentence/mxhlw/post.htmWed, 03 Mar 2010 04:16:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1073252english 1b3He controls Andrew's gold imports, and had been running the business for almost ten years. 1. Why is the past continuous perfect used here (and not the past simple or past continuous)? 2. Could the alternatives in brackets be used with the same meaning or different meaning? 3. Is there a rule I can refer to that explains why the past perfect (continuous) is used here instead of the past simple? Thank you, all.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastTense/mxbcj/post.htmMon, 01 Mar 2010 12:30:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1071366shahid khanWHAT IS THE SENTENCES STRUCTURE IN PAST SIMPLE TENSE?http://www.englishforums.com/English/ModalsTensesPerfectAspect-Sentence/mxrvw/post.htmMon, 01 Mar 2010 06:41:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1071110english 1b3Jim and his friends were digging around for me, trying to find the truth, but they hadn't found anything that might tell me who'd set me up. Someone had arranged with senior cops to have me arrested. The same person had arranged to have me beaten while I was in prison. 1) Would it be better to replace was with 'had been'? Why? 2) Would it be better to replace might tell with 'might have told'? Why? 3) Why is it hadn't found , and not the past simple? Is it suggesting that perhaps they were eventually found? 4) When dealing with infinitive and modals in the perfect form, for example 'might have told' & 'could have arranged', what tense does it...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Worked/mnkxn/post.htm#1069881Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:51:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1069881grammar geekIf she has helped you on multiple occasions, then use "have worked with" (and I would use "was" not "is"). If she helped you once, then use the past simple, and you can use "is" or "was" as long as you think she's still good.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleIndefiniteReference/mnjxk/post.htm#1069783Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:17:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1069783ultravioletwhat I would like to know is whether its usage is acceptable with explicit indefinite time references such as "in the past", "some time ago", "recently", "in the last year", before", "yet". It depends on the explicit reference. They differ in the degree of acceptability. I think you need to approach each adverbial expression as a separate issue. Some go better with the simple past; some go better with the present perfect. There is certainly no rule that says indefinite time references can never go with the simple past, if that's what you want to know. CJ Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted to know.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleIndefiniteReference/mnjxk/post.htm#1069782Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:16:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1069782ultravioletAs far as I know, the existence of a specific past time reference precludes the use of the Present Perfect unless the action continues up to the present.-- No, it can still occur with a recently-finished event that is still vibrantly related to the present. It's somewhat arguable. You can say: "He has just called." You don't normally say: "He has called five minutes ago." Regarding the Past Simple, what I would like to know is whether its usage is acceptable with explicit indefinite time references such as "in the past", "some time ago", "recently", "in the last year", before", "yet".-- 'Explicit indefinite' seems to me to be an oxymoron, but...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleIndefiniteReference/mnjxk/post.htm#1069144Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:29:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1069144califjimwhat I would like to know is whether its usage is acceptable with explicit indefinite time references such as "in the past", "some time ago", "recently", "in the last year", before", "yet". It depends on the explicit reference. They differ in the degree of acceptability. I think you need to approach each adverbial expression as a separate issue. Some go better with the simple past; some go better with the present perfect. There is certainly no rule that says indefinite time references can never go with the simple past, if that's what you want to know. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleIndefiniteReference/mnjxk/post.htm#1069080Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:00:35 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1069080mister micawberAs far as I know, the existence of a specific past time reference precludes the use of the Present Perfect unless the action continues up to the present.-- No, it can still occur with a recently-finished event that is still vibrantly related to the present. Regarding the Past Simple, what I would like to know is whether its usage is acceptable with explicit indefinite time references such as "in the past", "some time ago", "recently", "in the last year", before", "yet".-- 'Explicit indefinite' seems to me to be an oxymoron, but you should be able to see from my previous post that if it is used in absolute indefinite past ('I visited Paris') and explicit past ('I visited Paris last year'), then it can also be applied to the grey area...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleIndefiniteReference/mnjxk/post.htm#1069079Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:52:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1069079ultravioletAs far as I know, the existence of a specific past time reference precludes the use of the Present Perfect unless the action continues up to the present. Regarding the Past Simple, what I would like to know is whether its usage is acceptable with explicit indefinite time references such as "in the past", "some time ago", "recently", "in the last year", before", "yet". Thank you.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleIndefiniteReference/mnjxk/post.htm#1069041Sat, 27 Feb 2010 03:51:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1069041mister micawberIs the Past Simple acceptable when using an indefinite time reference -- Yes, indeed. Or is the Present Perfect mandatory?- Not at all. Your understanding of the guideline is unclear. The guideline is: Present perfect is not usually possible when a specific past time reference exists . These are OK: I visited Paris. I visited Paris last year. I have visited Paris. I already went to the supermarket . (Some BrE speakers do not like this, however, insisting that 'already' requires present perfect.) This is NOT OK: (X) I have often visited Paris l ast year .http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleIndefiniteReference/mnjxk/post.htmSat, 27 Feb 2010 01:50:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1068970ultravioletHi, Is the Past Simple acceptable when using an indefinite time reference or is the Present Perfect mandatory? For instance: I studied English in the past. I visited Paris some time ago. I already went to the supermarket. Thank you in advance for any help.http://www.englishforums.com/English/UnrealTenses/mnzwv/post.htm#1068784Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:15:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1068784english 1b3Yes, but in modern English there's a tendency to use Past Simple: «If I was you, I would...», in which case it is a pure tense Yes, but even this is a subjunctive in the subordinate clause: If I walked home, I would be exhausted by now.http://www.englishforums.com/English/UnrealTenses/mnzwv/post.htm#1068660Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:23:54 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1068660ant_222Are you sure? The subjunctive is still used in the hypothetical situation-- ... were=past subjunctive, unreal tense, showing hypothetical situation Yes, but in modern English there's a tendency to use Past Simple: «If I was you, I would...», in which case it is a pure tense. Antonhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/NounAdverbialPhraseSingularPlural/mndpq/post.htm#1067318Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:47:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1067318vocabfishIf your phrase refers to verbs in the same type of present tense, e.g. present simple, then the first phrase is correct. I walk home everyday. (present simple) I run daily. (present simple) The car was red. (past simple) The verbs in present tense are action verbs. ** If your phrases refers to verbs in various types of present tense, e.g. present simple and present continuous, then the second phrase is correct. I walk home everyday. (present simple) I am running to work now. (present continuous) The car was red. (past simple) The verbs in present tenses are action verbs. Alternatively, you could also say "the verbs in present tense" here, because "present tense" is...http://www.englishforums.com/English/JustQuitSmoking/mmnwk/post.htm#1065525Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:57:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1065525mister micawber. Moreover, all purists would regard the past simple form as substandard. Even for a purist, that is a ludicrous view.http://www.englishforums.com/English/JustQuitSmoking/mmnwk/post.htm#1065128Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:18:58 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1065128gleb_chebrikoffDear friends, just a small remark on the subject. While the forms are interchangeable, using simple past is still considered a feature of American English, and one is more likely to hear the simple perfect counterpart in educated British English. Moreover, all purists would regard the past simple form as substandard. Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoffhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PresentPerfectPastSimple/mmdrh/post.htm#1062139Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:30:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1062139ivanhrHello, everybody! Could you explain to me the difference between the following sentences: 1) The meeting has started since I arrived. Does it mean that the meeting started when I arrived and is has not finished yet? 2) The meeting has started by the time I arrived. This sentence means that the meeting started before my arrival and has not finished yet!???? 1 The verb start doesn't work well with the adverb since. The meeting started when I arrived. 2. In your second sentence you need the past perfect had started rather than the present perfect. The meeting had (already) started by the time I arrived.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TenseAspectsFinerPoints/mlxqm/post.htmFri, 19 Feb 2010 05:07:42 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1060625english 1b3I refused to go, until I saw all the pictures. 1) When choosing the tense and aspect of the main clause, I do not consider the subordinate clause to make my decision, do I? That is, when I make the decision, I consider only the main clause in relation to the greater context. In other words, the main clause above could be past perfect or past simple, but it would depend on when the refusing happens in relation to the overall tense of the passage. 2) Also, how come we have a past perfect to show that one action happened before another in the past, but we have no auxiliary verb to show taking the example above that the 'until' clause happens after the past simple main clause...http://www.englishforums.com/English/BeforePastPerfectPastSimple/2/gppcc/Post.htm#1059785Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:08:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1059785english 1b3MM, I think you may have it wrong. 'before' is a tense marker, but the past perfect in the original sentences is not used to mark tense sequence, but rather to show completion. Or perhaps I have misunderstood your answers...http://www.englishforums.com/English/TrickyTenseSequence/mlgmb/post.htm#1059689Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:48:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1059689michalsI live in Australasia, so it was past midnight when I sent the last post. My mind is so blurred that late. Yeah, I understood that but I just wanted to know where you are given that your time zone is completely different to mine. I live in Central Europe and it was quite late when you wrote back and I also can't think straight at late hours. If your first example works I think it may work but who knows (apart from CJ of course ). That was only a guess based on the existence of the equivalent form in the present tense. He had refused to go until he saw all the pictures. Why can't this work? (he refused first, then saw) I don't know! It may but I just though that it could be considered ill-formed by native speakers...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PastTenses/mljkz/post.htm#1059140Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:16:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1059140philipHello!!! I would like to know if we can use past simple for simultaneous actions in the past. For example, is it correct to say "I cooked while my friend watched TV"? I am asking this because it is more common to use past continuous and say "I was cooking while my friend was watching TV". Thank you!!! Christina If you want to emphasize a relatively long period of time, the past continuous is fine. The simple past in both clauses is also acceptable if you are just emphasizing the fact that both actions occured. For beginning purposes, I usually have students use when with the simple past and while with the continuous.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SheMovedYears/mljvc/post.htm#1059097Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:08:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1059097andrewaffidonUnless if we use present perfect tense using 'since' like the following : "She has moved to the U.S. since two years ago", it is almost certain that she's currently still living in the U.S. but if you use past simple, it really depends on the next information about her, just like Philip told us.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SheMovedYears/mljvc/post.htmWed, 17 Feb 2010 14:26:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1058966michalsHi guys, Do you agree that the sentence below can mean that either she currently lives in the U.S. or not? She moved to the U.S. two years ago. I mean we cannot have the present perfect here as we have definite time ("two years ago") so we're left with the past simple. Most importantly, what's your first impression when you hear this sentence? Does she still live there or not? Michałhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/TrickyTenseSequence/mlgmb/post.htm#1058852Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:14:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1058852michalsIt's too late for me to try and differentiate between the meaning of these two Where do you live? He refused to go till he had seen all the pictures and He had refused to go till he saw all the pictures. I don't know if the second one is possible at all. But if you're still wondering about using the past perfect instead of past simple in "He refused to go till he had seen all the pictures ", I can offer you another clarification I've just thought about. It has just struck me that there's nothing really exceptional about using the Past Perfect here as we have a corresponding structure in the present tense. Consider these two: I refuse to/won't go until/till I see...http://www.englishforums.com/English/TellingAboutAMissedCall/mlwhc/post.htm#1058765Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:24:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1058765michalsHi Anton, Before a native speaker voices her/his opinion, I'll tell you what I think if you don't mind. In this case I would choose the Past Simple tense, as I think that the sentence ("Mr. Smith called you and asked to call him back") does have a hidden "while you were out" reading, which states a definite time when the action took place (which is typical of the past simple). Mr Smith called you ( while you were out ) and asked to call him back. By the way, 3 & 4 sound as something an answering machine would say. I wouldn't say that, unless jokingly. Michalhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/TrickyTenseSequence/mlgmb/post.htm#1058757Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:11:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1058757ant_222Why did you choose 'was' for the second verb? I agree with MichalS's version, but my explanation would different: "to end" is an active verb, while "to be over" is passive — that's why the first is used in the Past Perfect tense and the second in the Past Simple. EDIT: You could as well have written: «Before the storm was over but after the worst was passed, the captain radioed for help.», using passive constructions for both "storm" and "the worst".http://www.englishforums.com/English/TrickyTenseSequence/mlgmb/post.htm#1058730Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:24:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1058730michalsWhy did you choose 'was' for the second verb? The time sequence in this sentence is blurred by the unusual usage of the Past Perfect anyway and I felt there was no need to cloud it even more with another (this time usual) Past Perfect usage, as that would result in the same tense used after both 'before' and 'after', which could render the sentence quite unreadable. Another reason for using the Past Simple in 'after the worst was over' is that the time sequence in "After the worst was over, the captain radioed for help" is perfectly transparent without using the Past Perfect in the subordinate clause, and this is thanks to the word 'after', which is able to show the time sequence...http://www.englishforums.com/English/TellingAboutAMissedCall/mlwhc/post.htmWed, 17 Feb 2010 09:21:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1058728ant_222Hello, everybody I am again having a Present Perfect/Past Simple dilemma. Imagine I want to tell somebody they have missed a call (right after they come back to office from lunch). How can I do it? 1. Mr. Smith called you and asked to call him back 2. Mr. Smith has called you and asked that you call him back. 3. You missed a call form mr. Smith. 4. You have missed a call from mr. Smith. Are all of these variations OK? Are some of them better than others? Is it a matter of whether I am talking BrE of AmE? Thanks in advance, Antonhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastContinousVsPastSimple/mkpgc/post.htm#1056349Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:00:10 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1056349califjim‘What did you do this time yesterday?” I was asleep”. No. What were you doing (at / during) this time yesterday? The question is about an activity during a period of time. Did you go out last night?’ ‘No, I was tired.’ Good. The question is about something that occurred, not about an on-going activity. Was Jane at the party last night?’ ‘Yes, she wore a really nice dress. OK. But I prefer She was wearing a really nice dress. It helps the listener to imagine himself at the scene of the party . In contrast, She wore ... is just a dull, factual report of past history. I met our teacher when I went to town. OK. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastContinousVsPastSimple/mkpgc/post.htm#1055861Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:33:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1055861ivanhrI would use the past continuous in the first sentence. The other two usages seem ok to me. With regard to sentences #2 and #3, the focus is not on the continuous action of wearing a dress and going to town. The focus of the second is on how she looked and the focus of the third is on where/when they met.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TwoUsesOfTheModalWould/mkpbn/post.htmSun, 14 Feb 2010 12:17:16 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1055747english 1b3I'm struggling to differentiate between these two uses of 'would' that I got from a website: would: Talking about the past We often use would as a kind of past tense of will or going to : Even as a boy, he knew that he would succeed in life. I thought it would rain so I brought my umbrella. would: Future in past When talking about the past we can use would to express something that has not happened at the time we are talking about: In London she met the man that she would one day marry. He left 5 minutes late, unaware that the delay would save his life. In the first set of examples, the verbs in the main clause 'knew' and 'thought' are past simple. 'would...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Catch/mkrqh/post.htm#1051679Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:45:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1051679tinker valLets start for the meaning Catch: To receive To stop and hold a moving object, usually with your hands To make something unable to escape Conjugation of 'To Catch' Base Form: Catch Past Simple: Caught Past Participle: Caught 3rd Person Singular: Catches Present Participle/Gerund: Catchinghttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleContinuous/mjgnv/post.htm#1048521Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:54:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1048521califjimWhat's the catch? I can only guess that the authors of the test insist upon while ... living and when ... lived , as both make perfect sense. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/PastSimpleContinuous/mjgnv/post.htm#1048461Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:26:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1048461cool breezeLive is normally used in the simple past tense. The continuous were living implies that they lived in Paris temporarily for some reason. Without context, both lived and were living are of course correct as it is perfectly possible that both were living in Paris temporarily at the same time. CBhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/AliceInWonderland/mjcvl/post.htm#1047839Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:55:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1047839english 1b3I am quite sure the past simple is used here for literary effect, possibly to place emphasis on the fact that it is the loveliest you ever saw. This is just conjecture, however.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AliceInWonderland/mjcvl/post.htm#1047287Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:00:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1047287tarirotariWell, the narrator uses "you" instead od "she" because I think he's addressing the reader, or he refers to a generic you (meaning 'one'). Anyway, you also say that perfect aspect would be better, and my question is, wouldn't it -rather than better- be required? Why past simple? Is it like a literary licence?http://www.englishforums.com/English/SentencePattern/mwqhc/post.htm#1046822Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:50:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1046822english 1b3It's the present simple that conveys it. CJ Is the past simple incorrect then? Only the present seems right to me, but what do I know.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SentencePattern/mwqhc/post.htm#1046715Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:06:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1046715english 1b3The speaker is conveying his belief that they are brave by nature -- "permanently" brave, so to speak. CJ And how does the past simple do this, while the present simple cannot?http://www.englishforums.com/English/SentencePattern/mwqhc/post.htm#1046689Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:28:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1046689english 1b3I know how beautiful she is. and Now I realized how brave they are It's not 'now' that makes me think the tense is wrong. I know=present simple I realized=past simple Why is there a change in tense? Wouldn't it be more correct if he knows and realizes?http://www.englishforums.com/English/Conditional/2/mwbzc/Post.htm#1044795Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:44:27 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1044795michalsLike some of you already mentioned, a sentence like " If he took my advice , he did the right thing." is not a true conditional sentence... I think that for a sentence to be truly conditional it must be about something that we know that it does(n't)/did(n't) exist, not when one action is conditioned by another, about which we don't know if it's true or not. 1st conditional : If you see (present simple) her, you will be struck (future simple) by how beautiful she is . (This refers to the future, so obviously we know it hasn't happened yet.) 2st conditional : If I had (past simple) $100 I would move to where it's warm. (This refers to the present and we know that the speaker doesn't...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PleaseHelpMe/mwwkl/post.htmWed, 03 Feb 2010 16:49:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1044049fadysandyWhat is difference between : Would you mind + ing ? & Would you mind + if + past simple? & Which is correct (I ask "past simple or present simple" )http://www.englishforums.com/English/DoYouMeanVsDidYouMean/mhznk/post.htm#1038322Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:38:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:1038322michalshello! When you talk to somebody and he/she says something you don't quite understand, you are far more likely to ask "what do you mean?", rather than "what did you mean", as Past Simple refers usually to some action in the past, which is finished by now. For example: A: "Yesterday my teacher told me mind my own business." B: "What did he mean?" Michal