Frank Sinatra - My Way(present perfect vs. past perfect).

Question

''I've lived a life that's full'' &lt;----He lived a life that's full. Why can't I say 'I had lived a life that's full'.I mean, it was in the past. He lived a life that's full, which means he doesn't live it anymore..not that he isn't alive, but his life isn't full anymore. That's how I see it.Anyone?

Bokeh · Accepted Answer

WesternAmericanWhy can't I say 'I had lived a life that's full'.

Because "that's" is a contraction of "that is" not "that was".

You could say "I had lived a life that was full" then X happened and life wasn't full anymore.

WesternAmerican · Answer

Oh. So coming to think about it, if he says 'A life that is full', the IS indicates present? right?

Furthermore, 'it's been three long years''..
The mentioned lyrics belong to his PAST, why not 'it had been three long years'?

Goodman · Answer

WesternAmericanOh. So coming to think about it, if he says 'A life that is full', the IS indicates present? right?

Furthermore, 'it's been three long years''..
The mentioned lyrics belong to his PAST, why not 'it had been three long years'?

Hi Western,

My opinion is not to learn English from song lyrics if you are looking for correct English because grammar correctness is not a requirement in composing the lyrics of a song. You'll learn much more with reading "Newes Weeks" or "Times".

Marius Hancu · Answer

Press the present perfect button under your original posting and read some of those threads.

MrPedantic · Answer

WesternAmericanOh. So coming to think about it, if he says 'A life that is full', the IS indicates present? right?

Furthermore, 'it's been three long years''..
The mentioned lyrics belong to his PAST, why not 'it had been three long years'?

Hello WA,

In this usage, the present perfect expresses a continuum from the past into the present.

It has been "three long years" since he saw her. At the moment of singing, the period of "not seeing her" hasn't finished.

All the best,

MrP

WesternAmerican · Answer

I'm starting to comprehend at long last, Mr. P.
The present progressive indicates an action that started in the past but has an effect on the future. Like:
I've left home. I did it in the past, but I still experience the effects from that action up to this day.

Amazing. This forum is just great. Thank you guys, and thank you too Marius for directing me to those links.

I got another question though:
I've told him many times, but he never listens. <---Present Perfect
I had told him many times, but he never listened. <---Past Perfect

Does it make sense? In the first sentnece, I told him something, but he never listens...that is in the present, he chooses to not accept what I tell him.
The latter sentnece, I told him a couple of times, but he never listened. What I tried to express here is that he chose another way and we parted ways; Or that he has simply died.

MrPedantic · Answer

WesternAmericanI got another question though:
I've told him many times, but he never listens. <---Present Perfect
I had told him many times, but he never listened. <---Past Perfect

Does it make sense? In the first sentnece, I told him something, but he never listens...that is in the present, he chooses to not accept what I tell him.
The latter sentnece, I told him a couple of times, but he never listened. What I tried to express here is that he chose another way and we parted ways; Or that he has simply died.

Hello WA,

Yes, that's it. So:

1. I've told Bob many times [not to go out with girls who wear green lipstick], but he never listens.

— the situation is still open: he still goes out with girls who wear green lipstick; I still tell him it's a bad idea.

2. I had told Bob many times [not to go out with girls who wear green lipstick], but he never listened.

— for some reason, the situation is closed. Perhaps we are no longer friends; perhaps his last girlfriend (who did indeed wear green lipstick) suffocated him with a enormous fluffy panda while he slept; perhaps I am telling Bob's story in a book.

There are some other uses of the present perfect, but they have this in common: the speaker wants to express a link between the past and the present.

All the best,

MrP

WesternAmerican · Answer

You're my hero, P.

MrPedantic · Answer

You're welcome, WA!

Have a good weekend,

MrP

Anonymous · Answer

Hi all, can somebody please help to answer my question.

Present Perfect Tense : The white fluffy clouds have covered the sky just now.

For me, the sentence above is correct because one of Present Perfect's use is for Actions that happened at an indefinite (unknown) time before now. So, the word just now shows that the action of 'The white fluffy clouds covering the sky', happened at an unknown time before now. It is in the past, but we do not know the exact time, so we use present perfect instead of past simple.

My question is...can we use past perfect instead of present perfect? e.g. The white fluffy clouds had covered the sky just now. This is because somebody said to me that I should use past perfect instead of present perfect because of the word just now, which shows that the action is in the past.

Or..are both sentences correct? If it is, what is the difference in meaning between using present perfect (have covered) with past perfect (had covered), with the inclusion of the word just now.

Frank Sinatra - My Way(present perfect vs. past perfect).

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