Non-Finite Clause

Question

Non-finite clauses have the same tense as the finite verb in the main clause.

Since the beginning, the company has grown rapidly, expanding into the U.K.

This would mean that 'expanding' would be 'has expanded', correct?

But it just seems to me that it more means this:

Since the beginning, the company has grown rapidly, and is expanding into the U.K.

Thanks

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

English 1b3Non-finite clauses have the same tense as the finite verb in the main clause.

Only "sort of". Non-finite by definition means having no tense. These clauses more or less take their cue from the main clause, but semantics should also be considered.

has been expanding is another possibility for your example.

CJ

English 1b3 · Answer

CalifJimbut semantics should also be considered

Thank you.

So we have to consider semantics here then, right? That is, it is a little ambiguous, so we should use 'having been a Pilot if he no longer is a Pilot?

Being a Pilot, I travelled the world a lot.

CalifJim · Answer

English 1b3so we should use 'having been a Pilot if he no longer is a Pilot?

Being a Pilot, I travelled the world a lot.

I don't believe it's a requirement, but I would use "having been" under those conditions; yes.

CJ

English 1b3 · Answer

Thanks, CJ. Most helpful to know.

I have an unrelated question that I hope you can answer for me. I won't start a new thread, as I already have done so. I remember you telling me a while ago that we don't use the simple present for normal verbs when we want to express the action happening now. You said we use the progressive tense. Can you explain, please, why the simple present seems to express an action here then?

Before the decade is over, David sends Mike's discovery over to researches and scientists for testing.

Thank you (I've asked you because perhaps my intial understanding was incorrect as a reulst of my misunderstanding you in the past...)

CalifJim · Answer

English 1b3Can you explain, please, why the simple present seems to express an action here then?

As an isolated sentence, it's wrong. It should be:

Before the decade was over, David sent Mike's discovery over to researchers ... for testing.

Maybe you found this in the context of a longer story, and the author is just trying to make the story more exciting by substituting present tense for past tense. This comes under the category of style rather than grammar, in my opinion.
___________

Grammatically, my point remains the same. If you have a verb like "jump" or "walk" or whatever, you use the simple present to indicate the habit of jumping, walking, or whatever, and the progressive form to indicate the on-going action of jumping, walking, or whatever. For example, you don't have the correct use of these tenses if you are writing a letter and the phone rings and this conversation occurs:

-- What do you do now? [WRONG]

-- I write a letter to my sister. [WRONG]

It has to be:
-- What are you doing now?
-- I'm writing a letter to my sister.

As habits, however:
-- What do you do with all your spare time these days?
-- I write letters to my sister.
___________________

If you want to use the stylistic device discussed above, you'll have to tell a whole story, and you'd better make it exciting or there won't be much point in using this tense switching technique!

Last Friday, guess what happened! I got to the store and what happened? [TENSE SWITCH] I'm standing there at the check-out aisle and I realize I haven't got my wallet. I go up to the cashier and I tell her the problem. So she gets the manager. The manager comes over and ... ... ... and the police take me away and put me in jail!

Obviously, this has nothing to do with habits. It has to do with relating past events in a way that makes them more vivid.

CJ

English 1b3 · Answer

CalifJimMaybe you found this in the context of a longer story, and the author is just trying to make the story more exciting by substituting present tense for past tense. This comes under the category of style rather than grammar, in my opinion

Thank you so very much. Actually, the original was from a documentary, and it used the present perfect. So is the present perfect correct, while the present simple is only correct if it is referring to a past event (the historic present)?

Before the decade is over, David has sent Mike's discovery over to researchers for testing

CalifJimMaybe you found this in the context of a longer story, and the author is just trying to make the story more exciting by substituting present tense for past tense. This comes under the category of style rather than grammar, in my opinion

OK, right...The Historic Present, right? So this is an exception? That is, the present simple can show an action, not a habit, in this instance?

CalifJim · Answer

English 1b3So is the present perfect correct, while the present simple is only correct if it is referring to a past event (the historic present)?

Before the decade is over, David has sent Mike's discovery over to researchers for testing

Everything is "front-shifted" when you use this rhetorical device. Here's the original that's being front-shifted:

Before the decade was over, David had sent Mike's discovery ...

It's not a question of what's correct and what's not correct and different rules for present and different rules for present perfect. You're making this all about 100 times more complicated than it is.

English 1b3That is, the present simple can show an action, not a habit, in this instance?

Yes. But be sure that you keep in mind that the action shown is not a present action, and that this is a special stylistic device -- not the central meaning or usage of the simple present.

CJ

English 1b3 · Answer

Great, I've got it now.

Botht versions (the present perfect and present simple) are examples of using the Historic present (that is front-shifting as you called it).

What would be the difference in meaning between 'has sent' and sends' in this case? Different meaning or just the perfect aspect is making the time sequence clearer?

CalifJimYou're making this all about 100 times more complicated than it is.

What's new/tell me something I don't know

CalifJimBut be sure that you keep in mind that the action shown is not a present action

But it can be can't it, say, in commentary? He passes the ball to Mike. And in Newspaper headlines?

CalifJim · Answer

English 1b3What would be the difference in meaning between 'has sent' and sends' in this case?

The difference is the same as the difference between the ("unfrontshifted") originals had sent and sent. And yes, it seems to me that the perfect aspect makes the time sequence clearer.

English 1b3But it can be can't it, say, in commentary? He passes the ball to Mike. And in Newspaper headlines?

Technically no. The speaker has to have seen the passing of the ball before he can report it. The present -- the real present -- is elusive. It's almost as if there is no real present. It's so fleeting that even what is thought of as "present" is already gone by the time we notice it. In practical terms, however, it may certainly seem, especially in sports commentaries, that the simple present is expressing a completed present event, which is logically impossible in my opinion.

CJ

English 1b3 · Answer

CalifJimThe difference is the same as the difference between the ("unfrontshifted") originals had sent and sent.

Thanks!

But there is no difference between the originals had sent and sent, is there? One just states more clearly that the sending happens before the decade is over.

Non-Finite Clause

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