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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Important question about the Perfect Aspect
QUESTION: Should we use the past simple tense or past perfect tense to show that an action happened before an action in the present perfect tense? Why?
For example:
a) He has run the whole race because you had told him that he must.
b) He has run the whole race because you told him that he must.
c) I have moved to Mississippi because I had been called so many names in California.
d) I have moved to Mississippi because I was called so many names in California.
e) I had been called so many names when I was living in N.Y. I am glad I have moved to Mississippi.
f) I was called so many names when I was living in N.Y. I am glad I have moved to Mississippi.
Thank you for this.
For example:
a) He has run the whole race because you had told him that he must.
b) He has run the whole race because you told him that he must.
c) I have moved to Mississippi because I had been called so many names in California.
d) I have moved to Mississippi because I was called so many names in California.
e) I had been called so many names when I was living in N.Y. I am glad I have moved to Mississippi.
f) I was called so many names when I was living in N.Y. I am glad I have moved to Mississippi.
Thank you for this.
Top answer
Present perfect is a present form; use simple past.
- Present perfect is a present form; use simple past.
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7 Answers
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I'm asking not about the present perfect tense, but the tense of the other verb in each sentence.
Mister MicawberPresent perfect is a present formBut the present perfect expresses an action that happened in the past. Can you explain please? Do you mean I need to add context that means the action relates to the present to validate the use of the present perfect
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Any present perfect use relates to the present (the action happened in the past sometimes, but often it is still happening); that is why it is a present tense. It is a linguistic viewpoint, I suppose.
However, I was not commenting on your use of the present perfect; I indicated that you should use past, not past perfect, for the other verb.
However, I was not commenting on your use of the present perfect; I indicated that you should use past, not past perfect, for the other verb.
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Thank you for replying. It seems I didn't understand your post as opposed to you not understanding mine 
So what we
So what we
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Just that: 'present perfect' (note the name) is classified as one of the present verb forms. It is present tense, perfect aspect.
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I realise that. Was wondering why you said that. I think you were saying that I should use the past simple, not the past perfect, since the first verb is the present perfect which is a present verb form.
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