Question

Can we use simple present tense to represents "completed action" like how we use present perfect ? I've read most novels are doing this towards their readers when  the story itself was written in Historical Present.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

I don't think so; it sounds strange to my imaginary ear for an entire novel.  Perhaps you should supply an example of what you mean.

Deadrat · Answer

A brief time spent in the google on the intertubes found this site: http://grammar.about.com/od/irregularverbs/a/6-Ways-To-Use-The-Present-Tense-In-English.htm. I will summarize for those unwilling to follow the link:

There are at least five ways to use the present tense for other than actions happening right now.

The historical present, in which the writer assumes the stance of a witness to historical events, translating his tenses accordingly. This often happens in narratives or jokes: "A rabbi, a priest, and a minister walk into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, 'Very funny.'" Clearly, the supposed event has already happened or the narrator couldn't tell the joke, but the verbs "walk," "looks," and "says" are still in the present tense.
The literary present, useful for discussing the action in written works no matter when they were written or performed. Thus Anna Russell talked about a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta from the late 1800s saying, "Then a little man comes out on stage and sings another verse of the patter song, whether you want him to or not."
The gnomic present, named after the Greek word for aphorism, describes a general ongoing truth. The classic example is "The earth moves around the sun." The earth has been doing so for eons and presumably will continue to do so for eons into the future, in an almost timeless Newtonian rhythm. But the present tense is still the one selected to relay this state of things.
The habitual present is used in situations that, like habits, are long established and likely to continue. "Every weekday I drag my sorry behind into work." I dragged myself into work last week, and I'll drag myself into work next week if I survive the boredom. Present tense is still the tense of choice.
As a substitute for the plain old future: "Congress returns from vacation next week. Be afraid. Be very afraid."

Samuraibabes · Answer

I mean something you can find in novels, newspaper and even movie summaries written in present tense. Here's the Paragraph example :

"The next morning, when we report for training at 7:30, reality slaps me in the face. We've been funneled into a class of relative beginners, fourteen- or fifteen-year-olds, which seems a little insulting until it's obvious that they're in far better condition than we are. Gale and the other people already chosen to go to the Capitol are in a different, accelerated phase of training. After we stretch - which hurts - there's a couple of hours of strengthening exercises - which hurt - and a five-mile run - which kills. Even with Johanna's motivational insults driving me on, I have to drop out after a mile."
(Mockingjay By Suzanne Collins)

As you can see there are some verbs like 'report', 'slaps', anything that hints simple present. Since the author rather used simple present form to define the meaning of present perfect (action being complete), Is it safe to say the same in real life other than in fictional reading or news?

Fivejedjon · Answer

In informal speech some people sometimes use the present (simple, progressive and perfect) to talk about past events. It is generally safer to use the past (simple, progressive and perfect) to talk about past events, as present-tense forms can appear to some to be a sign of substandard speech.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Welcome to English Forums, samuraibabes.  Thanks for registering.

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