0
Raymond Kii Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
'Never understand' VS 'Never understood' ?
I'm really confused about the use of 'understood' here.
Of course the most clearest one is using present perfect tense, which is 'from the past till now, i still understand'.
Could someone give me a detailed explanation here? Thanks in advance.
Of course the most clearest one is using present perfect tense, which is 'from the past till now, i still understand'.
Could someone give me a detailed explanation here? Thanks in advance.
Top answer
Raymond, the whole sentence has semantic problems, so it is difficult to answer you. Understanding is not something that normally comes and goes, and we simply do not say 'from the past till now'. Could you give us more of the context?
- Raymond, the whole sentence has semantic problems, so it is difficult to answer you.
- Understanding is not something that normally comes and goes, and we simply do not say 'from the past till now'.
- Could you give us more of the context?
- — I have understood everything you have told me.
- I understand everything you have told me.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
Raymond, the whole sentence has semantic problems, so it is difficult to answer you. Understanding is not something that normally comes and goes, and we simply do not say 'from the past till now'. Could you give us more of the context? Do you mean any of these?—
I have understood everything you have told me.
I understand everything you have told me.
I still re
I have understood everything you have told me.
I understand everything you have told me.
I still re
00
Here are two examples:
I never understand Dr. Brown when he speaks because he has a very heavy accent.
I never understand all the words in a Dutch book when I read it. I need an English-Dutch dictionary to look up the words I don't know.
I have never understood why the people from New Zealand like Marmite. It smells terrible and tastes like rotten eggs.
The present
I never understand Dr. Brown when he speaks because he has a very heavy accent.
I never understand all the words in a Dutch book when I read it. I need an English-Dutch dictionary to look up the words I don't know.
I have never understood why the people from New Zealand like Marmite. It smells terrible and tastes like rotten eggs.
The present
00
Here's a past-tense example:
I never understood why my grandfather was so prejudiced against the Irish. As far as I knew, he never met an Irishman.
My use of the past tense implies that my grandfather is dead. The use of the present perfect would not necessarily imply that he is still alive - my lack of understanding can continue to the present time, even if Gramps didn't.
I never understood why my grandfather was so prejudiced against the Irish. As far as I knew, he never met an Irishman.
My use of the past tense implies that my grandfather is dead. The use of the present perfect would not necessarily imply that he is still alive - my lack of understanding can continue to the present time, even if Gramps didn't.
0
Related Questions