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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

"It's time you went to bed."

1) "It's time you went to bed."

VS.

2) "It's time (when) you go to bed."

VS.

3) "It's the time (when) you go to bed."

I think #1 is grammatically correct and common, but how about #2 ? I think the structure of #2 is also okay or we need "the" and the meanings of #1 and #3 are slightly the same. What do you native English speakers think about it? Thank you so much as usual.
  

Top answer

" #1 is the natural way in BrE to suggest to someone that they should go to bed. #2 is not natural in BrE. #3 is saying that the time at the moment of speaking is the time when the person addressed (normally) goes to bed.

— Fivejedjon

  • " #1 is the natural way in BrE to suggest to someone that they should go to bed.
  • #2 is not natural in BrE.
  • #3 is saying that the time at the moment of speaking is the time when the person addressed (normally) goes to bed.
  • This is a possible utterance, I suppose.
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4 Answers
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Anonymous1) "It's time you went to bed." VS.2) "It's time (when) you go to bed." VS.3) "It's the time (when) you go to bed."
#1 is the natural way in BrE to suggest to someone that they should go to bed. #2 is not natural in BrE.

#3 is saying that the time at the moment of speaking is the time when the person addressed (normally) goes to bed. This is
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Anonymous2) "It's time (when) you go to bed."
That's possible in American English, but without the word "when". I think more common would be to drop "you" and use the infinitive as in:

It's time to go to bed.
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It's time you go to bed VS. it's time you went to bed.

Is there any nuance you sense between them? Thank you.
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AnonymousIt's time you go to bed VS. it's time you went to bed.Is there any nuance you sense between them? Thank you.
I don't perceive any difference, personally.
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