Fixed

Question

Thought you haven't fixed it up yet.OrThought you haven't fix it up yet.What's the pp for fix?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

fixed

Clive

Bradnugent · Answer

Definitely 'fixed'. But you really need to use 'hadn't' rather than 'haven't'.

The correct sentence would read: 'I thought you hadn't fixed it up yet.'

Hope this helps.

Brad

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Pleasehelp · Answer

bradnugentDefinitely 'fixed'. But you really need to use 'hadn't' rather than 'haven't'.

The correct sentence would read: 'I thought you hadn't fixed it up yet.'

Hope this helps.

Brad

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Why is that?

Pleasehelp · Answer

Is it because thought is past tense?

Pleasehelp · Answer

What if the car still hasn't been fixed up in the present?

Can't I use haven't instead of hadn't?

Bradnugent · Answer

Hi,

Both 'thought' and 'fixed' are past tense. The fact that the car is, in the present, fixed or not doesn't change your word choice for this sentence.

You are correct when you say the past tense 'thought' is to blame for having to use the past tense 'hadn't'.

The correct sentence is: 'I thought you hadn't fixed it up yet.'

Notice what happens if we turn it into a question and leave out the 'thought' part ---

'Haven't you fixed it up yet?' is now acceptable. 'Hadn't you fixed it up yet?' could also be acceptable. The one you use would depend on the meaning of the whole text.

So if it was a conversation where you were asking someone (in the present) why they still haven't fixed your car in the present - you would use the first option.

But if it was a conversation where someone was telling you a story (in the present) about a time in the past when they had not fixed a car on time, you might ask them in disbelief, 'Hadn't you fixed it up yet?'

You could also make using 'haven't' acceptable by changing the punctuation (which would also change the meaning of your original sentence). You could use punctuation to separate out the past tense 'thought' from the present tense 'haven't'. If you did this you would be describing something that happened in the past (your thinking), but at the time you thought those words, it was the present so it still makes sense.

I thought, 'You haven't fixed it up yet!'

At the end of the day, it all depends on the context of what you are writing / speaking. Unless you want to change the meaning of your original statement, it has to remain as:

'I thought you hadn't fixed it up yet.'

I hope that isn't too confusing

Have a great day!

Brad.

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