A question regarding Past Perfect/Present Perfect

Question

I haven't prepared well for the test, that's why I flopped. <-- This context is Present Perfect because I've started this action in the past, but it affects my present. Am I correct?

I hadn't studied for the test. <---Is it correct? Can I use the Past Perfect here? I hadn't studied for the test, so I failed. I don't want to be a wise guy but isn't the fact I failed the test going to affect my present?

WesternAmerican · Accepted Answer

WesternAmerican
I haven't prepared well for the test, that's why I flopped. <-- This context is Present Perfect because I've started this action in the past, but it affects my present. Am I correct?

I hadn't studied for the test. <---Is it correct? Can I use the Past Perfect here? I hadn't studied for the test, so I failed. I don't want to be a wise guy but isn't the fact I failed the test going to affect my present, so I should have used {{Present Perfect?}}

ARGH. Sorry for the double post. Wanted to edit my original post and I accidently posted, I guess.

Kooyeen · Answer

Hi,
I'd say:
I didn't prepare well for the test, that's why I flopped.
I hadn't prepared well for the test, that's why I flopped.
but I wouldn't say: I haven't prepared well for the test, that's why I flopped.

I don't always use the present perfect for actions that affect the present... for example, I would say:

Ouch! My head hurts... I bumped it against the ceiling... (and I wouldn't say "I've bumped").

It is extremely difficult to understand the difference between the present perfect and the simple past, and between the simple past and the past perfect. I've been learing English for almost two years and I still don't know how to use those verbs. I try to follow my instinct...
Now let's see if someone else can help you a little more.

Yankee · Answer

WesternAmericanI haven't prepared well for the test, that's why I flopped. <-- This context is Present Perfect because I've started this action in the past, but it affects my present. Am I correct? No, the lack of study had an effect on your grade. The bad grade is the thing that you could now connect to the present: I didn't prepare well for the test, and that's why I (have) failed.
I would use the simple past tense for both prepare and fail in the sentence above. However, you could also use the present perfect of 'fail'.

I hadn't studied for the test. <---Is it correct?

The past perfect is generally not used unless there is a clear justification for it (e.g. if otherwise the order of two past events would be unclear).

Can I use the Past Perfect here? I hadn't studied for the test, so I failed. The past perfect is OK, but not necessary.

I don't want to be a wise guy but isn't the fact I failed the test going to affect my present?

If you want to be very philosophical, you could say that everything in your past has some kind of effect on your present. However, the present perfect would have an exceptionally strong or immediate relationship with something else that is happening or about to happen now:

I've failed the last three tests, so that's why I'm spending so much time studying now. I'd love to go to the party with you, but I can't. I have to study. If I don't ace the next test, I'll flunk the course.

CalifJim · Answer

I would correct flopped to failed.

I haven't prepared covers the period up to the present. It says that the state you are in at this present moment is an unprepared state. But I failed happened in the past. That's why is a claim of causality.
You can't have a present cause (being unprepared) whose effect (failing) is in the past! So the first sentence is not logically possible.

You need something like one of these. Note that the choice of tenses always puts the cause, i.e., the lack of preparation, before the effect, i.e., the failure.

I haven't prepared well for the test; that's why I'm going to fail.
I hadn't prepared well for the test; that's why I was going to fail.

I hadn't prepared well for the test; that's why I failed.

I am not going to prepare well for the test; that's why I'm going to fail.
I didn't prepare well for the test; that's why I failed.

In the last two examples, the tenses are the same in both clauses, so only common sense and the expression That's why can guide you to the correct time sequence for the cause and effect. (But at least the tenses aren't backwards.)

CJ

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