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Mekkalomp Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Can you use 2 different tenses at the same time?
e.g. I am a Spanish university student. My Cambridge English: Advanced certificate got me on to a course in Canada at the University of British Columbia. My ambition? To work for an organisation that builds and develops international relations.
I've always thought that you should write in one tense either past or present. But the second sentence of the example is written in the past tense. What are the rules on this subject? Is the verb got an exception on the rule?
Because on the internet I have seen people who write 'I g2g', which is short for got to go, when they want to indicate they have to go somewhere at the moment of writing 'g2g'.
I've always thought that you should write in one tense either past or present. But the second sentence of the example is written in the past tense. What are the rules on this subject? Is the verb got an exception on the rule?
Because on the internet I have seen people who write 'I g2g', which is short for got to go, when they want to indicate they have to go somewhere at the moment of writing 'g2g'.
Top answer
mekkalomp I've always thought that you should write in one tense either past or present. Not at all—it depends on the time of the action or condition. He is a university student now; he was admitted (= got on to) to the Canadian course in the past.
- mekkalomp I've always thought that you should write in one tense either past or present.
- Not at all—it depends on the time of the action or condition.
- He is a university student now; he was admitted (= got on to) to the Canadian course in the past.
- mekkalomp Because on the internet I have seen people who write 'I g2g', which is short for got to go, when they want to indicate they have to go somewhere at the moment of writing 'g2g'.
- This seems irrelevant to your concern; it is just internet abbreviation, not grammatical utterance.
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4 Answers
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mekkalompI've always thought that you should write in one tense either past or present.Not at all—it depends on the time of the action or condition. He is a university student now; he was admitted (= got on to) to the Canadian course in the past.
mekkalompBecause on the internet I have seen people who write 'I g2g', whic
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I can understand why he did it but I can't accept what he has done.
In this sentence past simple and present perfect tense are used. Can we do that?
In this sentence past simple and present perfect tense are used. Can we do that?
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Over the years, we have seen dozens and dozens of questions from English learners questioning why someone has used more than one tense in a sentence. There all have the wrong idea that a sentence must be entirely in the same tense.
Stop believing this is true. It will save you a lot of trouble.
Stop believing this is true. It will save you a lot of trouble.
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