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Snappy Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Okay to use the past tense?
Situation: We (A and B) are waiting for a friend (C).
Is the underlined expression okay in the above situation?
A: We've been waiting for C for a long time.
B: I don't know what happened to C.
A: I can't wait any longer. I have to go now.
B: Okay. I'll call you tonight and tell you what time he came here and why he was late.
C has not arrived yet when the above conversation takes place. The arrival of C and the reason for being late will be known later. Can I use the past tense in that case?
Is the underlined expression okay in the above situation?
A: We've been waiting for C for a long time.
B: I don't know what happened to C.
A: I can't wait any longer. I have to go now.
B: Okay. I'll call you tonight and tell you what time he came here and why he was late.
C has not arrived yet when the above conversation takes place. The arrival of C and the reason for being late will be known later. Can I use the past tense in that case?
Top answer
Hi, Situation: We (A and B) are waiting for a friend (C). Is the underlined I see no underlining expression okay in the above situation? A: We've been waiting for C for a long time.
- Hi, Situation: We (A and B) are waiting for a friend (C).
- Is the underlined I see no underlining expression okay in the above situation?
- A: We've been waiting for C for a long time.
- OK B: I don't know what has happened to C.
- keeps the focus on the present A: I can't wait any longer.
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7 Answers
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Hi,
Situation: We (A and B) are waiting for a friend (C).
Is the underlined I see no underlining expression okay in the above situation?
A: We've been waiting for C for a long time. OK
B: I don't know what has happened to C. keeps the focus on the present
A: I can't wait any longer. I have to go now. OK
B: Okay. I'll call you tonight and tell you
Situation: We (A and B) are waiting for a friend (C).
Is the underlined I see no underlining expression okay in the above situation?
A: We've been waiting for C for a long time. OK
B: I don't know what has happened to C. keeps the focus on the present
A: I can't wait any longer. I have to go now. OK
B: Okay. I'll call you tonight and tell you
00
Since there is no direct time frame specified, one can only assume that this conversation has come to past. Based on the logic process going in my head, as far as C's reason for being late is concerned, I would say this:
"The reason and time of C's late arriving shall be discussed later."
"The reason and time of C's late arriving shall be discussed later."
00
Clive and dimsumexpress, thank you.
I wanted to underline as follows;
A: We've been waiting for C for a long time.
B: I don't know what happened to C.
A: I can't wait any longer. I have to go now.
B: Okay. I'll call you tonight and tell you what time he came here and why he was late.
I wanted to underline as follows;
A: We've been waiting for C for a long time.
B: I don't know what happened to C.
A: I can't wait any longer. I have to go now.
B: Okay. I'll call you tonight and tell you what time he came here and why he was late.
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SnappyB: Okay. I'll call you tonight and tell you what time he came here and why he was late.
After some chewing on this, I would not personally use "he came" and "was late". But I will say:
I'll call you tonight and tell you what time he shows up and why he is late.
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Snappy Can I use the past tense in that case?Yes.
Strange, isn't it?! English has no grammatical machinery -- no separate tense -- to express time relationships within a true future point of view, so the will earlier in the sentence (I'll call) is the device that is used to propel your listener into the future. Once there, be
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Hi CJ,
Based on your remarks, am I correct to assume that my approach with the present tense was considered faulty with regards to the specific context? Thanks in advance for your insight.
Based on your remarks, am I correct to assume that my approach with the present tense was considered faulty with regards to the specific context? Thanks in advance for your insight.
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dimsumexpressHi CJ,No, not faulty. That is an alternate solution. I hadn't yet read your post when I answered, so I didn't mention that the speaker (or writer) c
Based on your remarks, am I correct to assume that my approach with the present tense was considered faulty with regards to the specific context? Thanks in advance for your insight.
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