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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Comparing Answers from Two Posts: Simple Past vs. Present Perfect
Hello,
I'd like to ask for clarifications between two separate posts from this forum. I hope you can help me compare and understand the answers. Thank you in advance.
Link #1:
Original Sentence: I have improved the internal controls of the department.
Should Be: I improved the internal control of the department.
Note: The person is no longer a member of the department.
Reason: The making of improvements happened when you were part of another department. You are no longer in that department. This puts up a barrier between the improvements and the present moment of the interview question which cannot be spanned with a present perfect tense. But if you still belong to that department, 'have improved... the department' makes sense. See detailed explanation from the link.
Link #2:
A. My time at X company has shown me that I've developed my analytical skill.
D. My time at X company showed me that I've developed my analytical skill.
Note: The person is no longer connected with X company. The person still has the skill.
Should Be or Acceptable: A and D
Reason: In A, all focused on the present situation, wheras in D, not completely focused on the present. A is not wrong in this case as per note above, but D is the suggestion. See detailed explanation from the link.
Questions:
1. Why is the should-be answer in link #1 only accepts the simple past 'improved', while link #2 accepts sentence A with the present perfect 'has shown' when both contexts show that the person is no longer part of the department or X company?
2. In A and D, why is the present perfect 'have developed' correct when the making of developments happened when the person was part of X company? Don't you think this puts up a barrier between the development and the present moment of the interview question which cannot be spanned with a present perfect tense, which is the same reason as with link #1? Although the person does still have the skill at the moment of the interview.
3. I don't quite understand the concept of focus of time in verb tenses. In A, all focused on the present situation with the present perfect. Don't they all refer to past actions, i.e. the showing and development happened in the past or when the person was part of X company? Please explain.
I'd like to ask for clarifications between two separate posts from this forum. I hope you can help me compare and understand the answers. Thank you in advance.
Link #1:
Original Sentence: I have improved the internal controls of the department.
Should Be: I improved the internal control of the department.
Note: The person is no longer a member of the department.
Reason: The making of improvements happened when you were part of another department. You are no longer in that department. This puts up a barrier between the improvements and the present moment of the interview question which cannot be spanned with a present perfect tense. But if you still belong to that department, 'have improved... the department' makes sense. See detailed explanation from the link.
Link #2:
A. My time at X company has shown me that I've developed my analytical skill.
D. My time at X company showed me that I've developed my analytical skill.
Note: The person is no longer connected with X company. The person still has the skill.
Should Be or Acceptable: A and D
Reason: In A, all focused on the present situation, wheras in D, not completely focused on the present. A is not wrong in this case as per note above, but D is the suggestion. See detailed explanation from the link.
Questions:
1. Why is the should-be answer in link #1 only accepts the simple past 'improved', while link #2 accepts sentence A with the present perfect 'has shown' when both contexts show that the person is no longer part of the department or X company?
2. In A and D, why is the present perfect 'have developed' correct when the making of developments happened when the person was part of X company? Don't you think this puts up a barrier between the development and the present moment of the interview question which cannot be spanned with a present perfect tense, which is the same reason as with link #1? Although the person does still have the skill at the moment of the interview.
3. I don't quite understand the concept of focus of time in verb tenses. In A, all focused on the present situation with the present perfect. Don't they all refer to past actions, i.e. the showing and development happened in the past or when the person was part of X company? Please explain.
Top answer
1--The improvement is clearly finished, while the showing may still be taking place. 2-- Because the resume writer wishes to demonstrate that he continues to improve. 3-- This is a resume.
- 1--The improvement is clearly finished, while the showing may still be taking place.
- 2-- Because the resume writer wishes to demonstrate that he continues to improve.
- 3-- This is a resume.
- Generally, the writer wants to connect the past (past accomplishments more than past events) to the present time, to show that he still has those accomplishments and to make the whole image more immediate for the reader.
- Consider: Why does the newspaper headline read "Lakers win NBA championship"?
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4 Answers
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1--The improvement is clearly finished, while the showing may still be taking place.
2-- Because the resume writer wishes to demonstrate that he continues to improve.
3-- This is a resume. Generally, the writer wants to connect the past (past accomplishments more than past events) to the present time, to show that he still has those accomplishments and to make the whole image more immedi
2-- Because the resume writer wishes to demonstrate that he continues to improve.
3-- This is a resume. Generally, the writer wants to connect the past (past accomplishments more than past events) to the present time, to show that he still has those accomplishments and to make the whole image more immedi
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Thank you for your response. I really appreciate it.
For a resume or an interview, can't we use the present perfect 'I have improved...' in contrast to the shoul-be answer in link #1 for the reason that we want to connect the past to the present time even if the improvement is clearly finished and happened months or a year ago, not just recently?
Also, the effect of the
For a resume or an interview, can't we use the present perfect 'I have improved...' in contrast to the shoul-be answer in link #1 for the reason that we want to connect the past to the present time even if the improvement is clearly finished and happened months or a year ago, not just recently?
Also, the effect of the
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OK, I like your explanation. 'I have improved' is good, too.
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Thank you so much for your confirmation. To be honest, I couldn't sleep last night because of this question. You are really of great help to me. Cheers!
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