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Zybastek Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Had you made a decision/ Have you made a decision

Hello

Can someone please explain to me the difference between these two sentences.

1) I was wondering if you had made a decision regarding marketing role.

2) Have you made a decision regarding marketing role?

Thanks
  

Top answer

Zybastek 1) I was wondering if you had made a decision regarding marketing role. g. Point A) if a decision was made (at another point in the past that preceded point A ).

— Xerxes

  • Zybastek 1) I was wondering if you had made a decision regarding marketing role.
  • g.
  • Point A) if a decision was made (at another point in the past that preceded point A ).
  • Zybastek 2) Have you made a decision regarding marketing role?
  • " This covers all the time in the past up to now.
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10 Answers
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Zybastek1) I was wondering if you had made a decision regarding marketing role.
You were wondering (at some point in the past, e.g. Point A) if a decision was made (at another point in the past that preceded point A).
Zybastek2) Have you made a decision regarding marketing role?
"Has a decision been made yet?" This co
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Zybastekregarding ^ marketing role.
You need a determiner there.

CJ
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Zybastekdifference between these two sentences
1) is a less direct way of asking the question in 2).

CJ
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CalifJim Zybastekregarding ^ marketing role.You need a determiner there.CJ
That's right - I'd neglected to write that.
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CalifJim1) is a less direct way of asking the question in 2).
Don't you think it would be a little strange to use the past perfect in this way? I would just say:
I was wondering if you've made a decision . . .
I was wondering if a decision has been made . . .

Since whether or not a decision has been made is presumab
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1. The past perfect is used, which denotes action completed in the past, so here the speaker is implying that he assumes the listener, if he indeed made the decision, did so some time ago.

2. The present perfect is used, which denotes action completed in the present, so here the speaker is implying that he assumes the listener, if he indeed made the decision, did so it very recently.
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XerxesDon't you think it would be a little strange to use the past perfect in this way?
Not really. Actually in this particular sentence (with 'wonder') I'm rather indifferent to whether "have" or "had" is used. You're right about the technicalities that should be considered when analyzing the sentence "close up", but on first hearing it in a real-world situ
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Thanks for a fast response guys. I really appreciate it..

English tense is my biggest enemy... Emotion: sad
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ZybastekEnglish tense is my biggest enemy...
Have no fear. English is a challenging language, probably like any other language, really. Good luck!
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"Have you made a decision?" asks a question in the present tense. Now, at this point.

"Had you made a decision before you walked into the room?" asks about a past tense decision.

You should not say "I was wondering if you had made a decision."

You should say "I was wondering if you made a decision." Made is the verb. It's already past

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