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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

A diary is a book in which you write down things that have happened to you.

I'd be happy if someone would answer my question. Thanks in advance.

What's the difference between A and B?

A: A diary is a book in which you write down things that have happened to you.

B: A diary is a book in which you write down things that happen to you.
  

Top answer

The meanings are the same. In A, the present perfect places the happenings more obviously before the writing-down, while in B, the happenings are referred to in the sense of non-temporal habit.

  • The meanings are the same.
  • In A, the present perfect places the happenings more obviously before the writing-down, while in B, the happenings are referred to in the sense of non-temporal habit.
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2 Answers
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The meanings are the same. In A, the present perfect places the happenings more obviously before the writing-down, while in B, the happenings are referred to in the sense of non-temporal habit.
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The difference is, of course, have happened in A and happen in B.

things that have happened refers to things happening in the past up to now. I can write down things that have happened to me in the past day, in the past week, in the past month, in the past year -- whatever. For the purposes of a diary, it's usually things that have happened in the past day.

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