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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

I've lost/I lost

I've lost my keys. - (I don't have them know)
I lost my keys- Can I use this one if I still don't have the keys? I hear native speaker use simple past even when there's a result in the present.

_________
It's awkward when she does it especially when we wait in a line.
It's awkward when she does it especially when we're waiting in a line.

Can I say 'when she's doing it' in the first part of the sentence?
  

Top answer

I've lost my keys. - (I don't have them now ) The present perfect tense brings the fact that you lost your keys into a present time focus. Perhaps you just noticed that the keys are not in the place where you usually expect them to be.

— AlpheccaStars

  • I've lost my keys.
  • - (I don't have them now ) The present perfect tense brings the fact that you lost your keys into a present time focus.
  • Perhaps you just noticed that the keys are not in the place where you usually expect them to be.
  • eg .
  • I have lost my keys.
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14 Answers
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I've lost my keys. - (I don't have them now) The present perfect tense brings the fact that you lost your keys into a present time focus. Perhaps you just noticed that the keys are not in the place where you usually expect them to be. eg.I have lost my keys. They aren't in my purse. I must have dropped them somewhere betw
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Wouldn't it be correct to say "I've lost something" to mean "I lost something"? Please see this thread:
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Re-read A Stars's comment above and CalifJim's post in the link you provided.

You won't get better answers.
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What about Regards' post in the link I provided?
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HUBLOTWhat about Regards' post in the link I provided?
What about it?
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Do you think that I don't need to re-read Regards' post?
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Hi,

Grammar Geek already told you what she thought. Emotion: sad

[She didn't mention that you should re-read my post too.
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Americans tend not to bother with such niceties as the present perfect when our keys are in danger, especially in speech. We say "I lost my keys" or "I've lost my keys" with identical import, but we prefer the shorter version because our Puritan work ethic with its long work week leaves us little time for niggling grammatical puzzles.
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Did you use the word 'little' in this case because it has negative meaning?
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AnonymousDid you use the word 'little' in this case because it has negative meaning?
Me? I don't see how it is negative. It's what I meant, "a small amount of time".
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