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Forum_mail Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

My questions concerning perfect tenses - part 1

0 I have some nagging doubts about the usage of perfect tenses (especially in cotrast with simple past) Here we go then: 02br
01b02br
001.02b00 01i00What have you been doing since I left the room?02br
02i00a) would it be possible to use "did you do" or "have you done" instead of "have you been doing" ?02br
01b02br
002.02b00 01i00Why on earth didn't you tell me about that loose floorboard? I tripped over it just now and hurt myself.02br
02i00a) I was surprised to see this answer in the key... my version was "Why on earth haven't you told me... I have tripped over..." Is it ok? What's the difference between simple past and pres. perf. versions in this example?02br
00b) my explanation is that at least when it comes to " I tripped..." pres. prefect would be a better option since there is an effect - "hurt myself" , yet I might be wrong...02br
02br
01b003. 02b01i00It's a long time since I saw Paul. What has he been doing lately?02br
02i00a) why "I saw" ? why past simple after "since" ???02br
00b) could I say "What is he doing lately?" ? or "What was he doing lately?" I don't get the difference :-/02br
02br
01b004. 02b01i00Don't forget you haven't seen Mr Dawson. She has been waiting outside since 10.30.02br
02i00a) Why not "didn't see" ???02br
02br
01b005. 02b01i00What did you thing of Brighton 02i01b00VS 02b01i00What have you thought of Brighton - 02i00what's the difference?02br
02br
01b006. 02b01i00I feel really tired. I've been weeding the garden for the last 3 hours and I haven't rested for a single moment.02br
02i00a) what's the difference between "have been weeding" and "have weeded" ? can I use the latter one here?02br
00b) why is there "haven't rested" instead of "didn't rest" for example? would it be ok to use past simple? if not - why?02br
02br
00thanks a lot!!!0-
  

Top answer

02font 02b 01font 00 02font 01font 01i 00Why on earth didn't you tell me about that loose floorboard? 02br 02i 00a) I was surprised to see this answer in the key... my version was "Why on earth haven't you told me...

— Clive

  • 02font 02b 01font 00 02font 01font 01i 00Why on earth didn't you tell me about that loose floorboard?
  • 02br 02i 00a) I was surprised to see this answer in the key...
  • my version was "Why on earth haven't you told me...
  • " Is it ok?
  • What's the difference between simple past and pres.
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6 Answers
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0Hi,02br
02br
01font01b001.02b00 02font01font01i00What have you been doing since I left the room?02br
02i00a) would it be possible to use "did you do" <<< 00Yes, but it seems a bit awkward, because it suggests that what you did does not have present im
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0 01b001.02b00 01i00What have you been doing since I left the room?02br
02i00a) would it be possible to use "did you do" 01font00Not really.02font00 or "have you done" 01font00Yes.02font00 instead of "have you been doing" ?02br
01b02br
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CalifJimI feel really tired. I've been weeding the garden for the last 3 hours and I haven't rested for a single moment.
CalifJimb) why is there "haven't rested" instead of "didn't rest" for example? would it be ok to use past simple? Again, not really. if not - why? As explained for 4. not for a single moment: not at 2:00, not at 2:01
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On a second though
What if we switch "rested for a single moment." to "rested a single moment", would it be unequivocally better and calling for Past Simple?
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CliveBest wishes, Clive
Clive, could you color the lines of your answers differently from those of the OP, please?
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When I wrote these answers 7 years ago, I used correct colours. But later the site administrators moved all our posts to a new version of EnglishForward, and during this move the colours got messed up.

I don't have the time or patience to go back now and change these texts. Sorry about that!

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