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Ansonguy Posted 5 years ago
Grammar

Correct tenses of "play" for [the only time] vs [the only day]

I'm not sure if my non-native English speaking friends are right about something. I have written down four similar examples below.

(1a) This is the only time I have played video games by myself.

(1b) This is the only day I have played video games by myself.

(2a) This is the only time I'm playing video games by myself.

(2b) This is the only day I'm playing video games by myself.

(3a) That was the only time I played video games by myself.

My friends think "the only time" and "the only day" function in the same way when it comes to relating them to verb forms.

Do you think the verb forms in the examples above are correct? Thank you very much.

  

Top answer

ansonguy (1a) This is the only time I have played video games by myself. OK. ansonguy (1b) This is the only day I have played video games by myself.

— Anonymous

  • ansonguy (1a) This is the only time I have played video games by myself.
  • OK.
  • ansonguy (1b) This is the only day I have played video games by myself.
  • No.
  • "The only" makes this day one day among all the others, and that is not what you mean, but see 2b.
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1 Answers
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ansonguy(1a) This is the only time I have played video games by myself.

OK.

ansonguy(1b) This is the only day I have played video games by myself.

No. "The only" makes this day one day among all the others, and that is not what you mean, but see 2b.

ansonguy(2a) This is the only time I'm
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