0
White_Storm Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Past Simple and Present Perfect
I have got a confussion about the difference of that two tenses.
I will explain it in fictional stories;
1) I am waiting for a friend to drink beer. And he is coming.
- Is our beer coming?
+ No, I haven't ordered it.
I think present perfect is true here.
2) The salesman brings us two glasses of orange juice. However i didn't want anything.
- I haven't ordered these. ( I think present perfect tense is OK. I mean "they are not mine" , related to present.)
3) I am going to meet someone, when I am in the restaurant my friend is drinking something and he asks me to pay. But I will not.
- I haven't ordered this. (I think that one is true too. I mean "it is not mine, and I am not paying", related to present. But I am not sure about that)
---Are three of them true? Do you think there is a wrong one, and past simple (I didn't order) must be used ?---
I would love this question to be answered with British English rules (not American)
I will explain it in fictional stories;
1) I am waiting for a friend to drink beer. And he is coming.
- Is our beer coming?
+ No, I haven't ordered it.
I think present perfect is true here.
2) The salesman brings us two glasses of orange juice. However i didn't want anything.
- I haven't ordered these. ( I think present perfect tense is OK. I mean "they are not mine" , related to present.)
3) I am going to meet someone, when I am in the restaurant my friend is drinking something and he asks me to pay. But I will not.
- I haven't ordered this. (I think that one is true too. I mean "it is not mine, and I am not paying", related to present. But I am not sure about that)
---Are three of them true? Do you think there is a wrong one, and past simple (I didn't order) must be used ?---
I would love this question to be answered with British English rules (not American)
Top answer
---Are three of them true? --- Both present perfect and simple past are commonly used by native speakers on both sides of the Atlantic in all 3 cases. All happened in the past (the order or non-order) and all appear in the present.
- ---Are three of them true?
- --- Both present perfect and simple past are commonly used by native speakers on both sides of the Atlantic in all 3 cases.
- All happened in the past (the order or non-order) and all appear in the present.
- It depends only on the speaker's viewpoint at the moment.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
12 Answers
0
---Are three of them true? Do you think there is a wrong one, and past simple (I didn't order) must be used ?--- Both present perfect and simple past are commonly used by native speakers on both sides of the Atlantic in all 3 cases. All happened in the past (the order or non-order) and all appear in the present. It depends only on the speaker's viewpoint at the moment.
00
Mister Micawber---Are three of them true? Do you think there is a wrong one, and past simple (I didn't order) must be used ?--- Both present perfect and simple past are commonly used by native speakers on both sides of the Atlantic in all 3 cases. All happened in the past (the order or non-order) and all appear in the present. It depends only on the speaker's viewpoi
00
Viewpoint: how the speaker sees the event-- as occurring in the past or as an effect on the present.
00
Then, in my examples present perfect is OK in my opinion. Because I mean " Beer is not coming -1-" and "They are not mine 2 and 3 . In summary I want to point on the effect.
Am I right?
If yes, my question is over and thank you very much for your help and symphaty.
Am I right?
If yes, my question is over and thank you very much for your help and symphaty.
00
Both present perfect and simple past are commonly used in those sentences.
00
0
I have got more confussions. I will ask my questions through fictional stories again.
1)
"A" has a lot of work to do in this week. His brother wanted to visit him, he refused that but his brother came and B saw him with A. A and B are having a chat.
B: Why are you angry?
A: I asked him not to come (Past Simple)
I think past simple is the right one but I can
1)
"A" has a lot of work to do in this week. His brother wanted to visit him, he refused that but his brother came and B saw him with A. A and B are having a chat.
B: Why are you angry?
A: I asked him not to come (Past Simple)
I think past simple is the right one but I can
00
White_StormP.S : Could you possibly use British English rules again please?
I cannot edit my message but I have pulled back this request. It doesn't have to be answered through "British English" rules anymore
00
1)
Emotions (like anger) are irrelevant to verb choice here. Here, B doesn't know anything about the situation so A explains the simple past event. Present perfect is no good.
2)
Either verb form is OK. Past simple to state the past asking action or present perfect to make the asking psychologically nearer to now for the listener's benefit. Now and the future are no
Emotions (like anger) are irrelevant to verb choice here. Here, B doesn't know anything about the situation so A explains the simple past event. Present perfect is no good.
2)
Either verb form is OK. Past simple to state the past asking action or present perfect to make the asking psychologically nearer to now for the listener's benefit. Now and the future are no
00
Let's say the sentence is not the answer of a question.
"I haven't started to call you princess because of your physical beauty"
Would that mean this: " I haven't started to call you princess because of your physical beauty and I still don't call you because of that."
And another one;
1) I didn't answer it because you asked for British rules.
2) I have
"I haven't started to call you princess because of your physical beauty"
Would that mean this: " I haven't started to call you princess because of your physical beauty and I still don't call you because of that."
And another one;
1) I didn't answer it because you asked for British rules.
2) I have
0
Related Questions