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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Never

Could I use present perfect too? What is the difference between these two?

1. I never forgot to punch in my hours after I found out that I was missing some hours.

2. I have never forgot to punch in my hours after I found out that I was missing some hours.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Hello, Jack! To me, n°1 belongs to the past; you're talking about a time when you used to work in a firm, and at that time you never forgot to punch in your hours. N°2 should be "I have never forgot ten "; you're still working in the firm.

— Pieanne

  • Hello, Jack!
  • To me, n°1 belongs to the past; you're talking about a time when you used to work in a firm, and at that time you never forgot to punch in your hours.
  • N°2 should be "I have never forgot ten "; you're still working in the firm.
  • In that sentence, you could replace "after" by "since".
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7 Answers
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Hello, Jack!

To me, n°1 belongs to the past; you're talking about a time when you used to work in a firm, and at that time you never forgot to punch in your hours.

N°2 should be "I have never forgotten"; you're still working in the firm. In that sentence, you could replace "after" by "since".
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Dear Jack112,

It is indeed so. You may not use «after» in your second sentence. You must say «since».

Kind regards,
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I still don't see why 'after' is wrong? Could someone explain the difference in meaning of these sentences so I could compare? Thanks.

1. I have never forgot to punch in my hours after I found out that I was missing some hours.

2. I have never forgot to punch in my hours since I found out that I was missing some hours.
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Pieanne,
I think the past participles "got" and "forgot" are British.
I think only the Americans use the past participles "gotten" and "forgotten".
Jim
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I don't sense that "after" is actually wrong, but "since" is certainly more idiomatic with the present perfect.
On the other hand, "after" almost implies a definite time in the past, which is incompatible with the present perfect.
All in all, "since" is a much better choice.
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We do "forgotten" over here too. "I have forgot" has a slightly poetic air:


I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind,
Flung roses, roses, riotously with the throng,
Dancing, to put thy pale lost lilies out of mind...
etc.

MrP
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"I have forgot" has a slightly poetic air
Cautious addendum: or "regional".

(There's bound to be a BrE dialect somewhere that uses it.)

MrP
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