0
Viceidol Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
I have met him before.=I met him before.
Hello, everyone:
One of my grammar book says:
I have met him before.=I met him before.
I have heard it before. = I heard it before.
Is that really true? Thank you for your reply.
One of my grammar book says:
I have met him before.=I met him before.
I have heard it before. = I heard it before.
Is that really true? Thank you for your reply.
Top answer
It's the same deal for "met" and "heard", so to keep it simple I'll just use "met" in the examples. "I met him" means that I'm talking about a specific time in the past when I met him "I have met him" means that I've met him on one or more occasions on the past. It's not important when those occasions were; all I'm trying to get across is that I have met him at some time.
- It's the same deal for "met" and "heard", so to keep it simple I'll just use "met" in the examples.
- "I met him" means that I'm talking about a specific time in the past when I met him "I have met him" means that I've met him on one or more occasions on the past.
- It's not important when those occasions were; all I'm trying to get across is that I have met him at some time.
- However, if the word "before" is added, and the sentence ends there, then this often implies the second meaning (because "before" itself often means "at some time(s) in the past").
- I would therefore usually say "I have met him before" to avoid an inconsistency between the tense and the word "before".
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
It's the same deal for "met" and "heard", so to keep it simple I'll just use "met" in the examples.
"I met him" means that I'm talking about a specific time in the past when I met him
"I have met him" means that I've met him on one or more occasions on the past. It's not important when those occasions were; all I'm trying to get across is that I have met him at some time.
"I met him" means that I'm talking about a specific time in the past when I met him
"I have met him" means that I've met him on one or more occasions on the past. It's not important when those occasions were; all I'm trying to get across is that I have met him at some time.
00
As an American speaker, I think I'd use the present perfect.
Barb, come me Joe.
Oh, we've met. Nice to see you again Joe.
If you come to the party, you can meet Barb.
We've met before, but it will be nice to see her again.
On the other hand: We first met in Paris. The Germans wore grey. You wore blue.
Barb, come me Joe.
Oh, we've met. Nice to see you again Joe.
If you come to the party, you can meet Barb.
We've met before, but it will be nice to see her again.
On the other hand: We first met in Paris. The Germans wore grey. You wore blue.
0
Related Questions