Earlier with present perfect
English speakers!
Is the present perfect acceptable in the following example:
As I have said earlier, we can't do it. / As I said earlier, we can't do it.
To me, either tense is fine. The reason why I think the present perfect is OK also: it's not a definite date in the past (yesterday, last week, on March 1); it could have been earlier today, earlier this week, etc.
Is this correct?
And a similar question: "I have said that earlier this week." The week is not over yet, so maybe the present perfect is OK? But I think the present perfect is a bit odd with this example.
Thank you.
Top answer
anonymous As I have said earlier, we can't do it. To me, either tense is fine. The first seems odd to me.
- anonymous As I have said earlier, we can't do it.
- To me, either tense is fine.
- The first seems odd to me.
- anonymous : it's not a definite date in the past (yesterday, last week, on March 1); it could have been earlier today, earlier this week, etc.
- Yes, but it definitively earlier than now.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
anonymousAs I have said earlier, we can't do it. / As I said earlier, we can't do it.To me, either tense is fine.
The first seems odd to me.
anonymous: it's not a definite date in the past (yesterday, last week, on March 1); it could have been earlier today, earlier this week, etc.
Yes, but it definitively earlier
0
Related Questions