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Perfect Stranger Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
Is there an expression like this? "to be set for life"
Dear All,
I've just read a piece of news saying that J. Clarkson was sacked and he won't be part of the team of Top Gear hosts anymore. One thought came to my mind almost instanteenously:
Well, he's had a good run anyway. He's pretty much set for the rest of his life.
Two questions:
1) Instead of present perfect, shouldn't it be past perfect? After all, the fact that he got fired belongs to the past. Or perhaps it should be simple past? On the other hand, the recentness of the news could justify the use of present perfect... Plus, there's a consequence connected to the present... i.e. he doesn't have a job now.
2) Does the expression set for the rest of his life even exist? I want to say that he has made so much money that he won't have to work for the rest of his life.
Thanks
I've just read a piece of news saying that J. Clarkson was sacked and he won't be part of the team of Top Gear hosts anymore. One thought came to my mind almost instanteenously:
Well, he's had a good run anyway. He's pretty much set for the rest of his life.
Two questions:
1) Instead of present perfect, shouldn't it be past perfect? After all, the fact that he got fired belongs to the past. Or perhaps it should be simple past? On the other hand, the recentness of the news could justify the use of present perfect... Plus, there's a consequence connected to the present... i.e. he doesn't have a job now.
2) Does the expression set for the rest of his life even exist? I want to say that he has made so much money that he won't have to work for the rest of his life.
Thanks
Top answer
a) In light of the news, the present perfect is fine. b) You may use 'financially settled', not set.
- a) In light of the news, the present perfect is fine.
- b) You may use 'financially settled', not set.
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4 Answers
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a) In light of the news, the present perfect is fine.
b) You may use 'financially settled', not set.
b) You may use 'financially settled', not set.
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1. It may help to get rid of the idiom "to have a good run" and substitute a synonym like "succeeded" so the haves/hads don't interfere.
The simple past ("He succeeded") is just a statement of fact and says nothing about the current predicament or about the possibility of times when he didn't succeed.
The present perfect ("He has succeeded.") means that the action has completed
The simple past ("He succeeded") is just a statement of fact and says nothing about the current predicament or about the possibility of times when he didn't succeed.
The present perfect ("He has succeeded.") means that the action has completed
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