Grammar question no. 91

Question

Dear All,Could you please answer a few questions regarding the following sentence?Do you want it now or can I give it to you after I do the preparation for the class?1) Is after I do the preparation correct? Shouldn't it be after I've done the preparation or after I did the preparation? May I ask why one of them is more preferable than the other? 2) Is it possible to get rid of the before preparation and class? If not, may I ask why?3) Would it be better to say or can I give it to you after doing the preparation? 4) Would it be better to get rid of do (in any form or tense) before preparation whatsoever?Thank you very much. I know that 4 questions might seem like a lot, but hopefully someone will be kind enough to help me out here.

Vsuresh · Accepted Answer

I think this is fine:

Do you want it now or can I give it to you after I finish preparing / with my preparation for the class?

Perfect Stranger · Answer

Thanks vsuresh. The thing is that I have to understand how or why the other ways work/don't work... That's why I wrote those 4 questions. Memorizing a pattern isn't working for me <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' alt='Emotion: sad'/> Stil, your input is much appreciated!

Deadrat · Answer

(1) You have an independent clause in the present tense: "I give," and a subordinate clause with "after," which will require using a verb with the aspect of completion in the future. You may do this in a number of ways:

Present perfect: "I can give it to you now or after I have prepared (I have done the preparation) for the class.
Simple present: "I can give it to you now or after I prepare (I do the preparation) for class.
(Note that this is the same as "after I finish preparing.")
Verbal construct: "I can give it to you now, or I can give it to you after doing the preparation.
(The gerund has no tense, so the understanding the time relies on "after.")

What you can't do is look forward from your question to future completion by using the simple past.

Simple past: "Do you want it now or after I prepared (did prepare)." Won't work.

(2) If you drop the definite article before "preparation," you're talking about some unspecified work. If you keep the article, you mean the specific class assignment probably known both to you and to the person you're talking to. If you drop the definite article before "class," you probably imply that you're talking about the class in which you're enrolled along with the person you're talking to. If you keep the definite article, it's just the class that you both know about.

(3) See (1)

(4) Prepare, do the preparation. Up to you.

Perfect Stranger · Answer

Such a marvelous answer! Hats off to you deadrat! Thanks!

Grammar question no. 91

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