0
Ngml Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

have lived or has lived

Hello everyone. i'll be thankful if you share some wisdom with me about this grammar issue. i just don't know why i can't say "has lived" instead of "have lived". this is the sentence:

He is said to have lived in a house on a tree.

thanks
  

Top answer

Hello, Ngml—and welcome to English Forums. Thank you for registering as a member. Ngml i just don't know why i can't say "has lived" instead of "have lived".

— Mister Micawber

  • Hello, Ngml—and welcome to English Forums.
  • Thank you for registering as a member.
  • Ngml i just don't know why i can't say "has lived" instead of "have lived".
  • this is the sentence:He is said to have lived in a house on a tree.
  • Because it is an infinitive form— 'to have'—and never changes: He is said to have lived.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

9 Answers
0
Hello, Ngml—and welcome to English Forums. Thank you for registering as a member.
Ngml i just don't know why i can't say "has lived" instead of "have lived". this is the sentence:He is said to have lived in a house on a tree.
Because it is an infinitive form— 'to have'—and never changes:

He is said to have lived.
They are said to have liv
0
0
If you insist on using "has lived" instead of "have lived", apply this sentence in place of yours:

He is said that he has lived in a house on a tree
0
0
khoshtipHe is said that he has lived in a house on a tree
That is ungrammatical.
0
0
AlpheccaStarskhoshtipHe is said that he has lived in a house on a treeThat is ungrammatical.
Why please?
0
0
"He is said" can only be followed by an infinitive, not a clause.

The "dummy it" construction "It is said" can be followed by a clause:

It is said that he died in an accident.
It is rumored that he died in an accident.
0
0
AlpheccaStarsThe "dummy it" construction "It is said" can be followed by a clause
Ow, so the OP can use "It is said that he has lived ...".
It was that construction that I had seen many times and concluded that it can be used for other persons as well! Thanks.
0
0
khoshtipIt was that construction that I had seen many times and concluded that it can be used for other persons as well!
No, "it" can be a dummy. He / She cannot, at least in grammar.
0
0
I don't understand your comment. First let me rewrite my sentence with detail and then we go on the route.

It was that construction (the construction "it is said that ...") that I had seen many times (before) and concluded that it can be used for other persons (i.e., It is possible to replace "it is said that ..." with "he/she —and other persons— is/are said that ...) as well!
0
0
No, "it" can be a dummy. He or she cannot, at least in grammar.

http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/Dummy-It.htm
0

Related Questions