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Peterchan Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Past tense or past particple
Hi guys, I do not understand why I was wrong!
MY FIRST QUESTION:
I was talking about an action in the past (NO date was mentioned), and I said:
"The manager had reviewed the case and decided not to take any action", but these native speakers said I was wrong, they said I should not use "had" and just say "The manager reviewed the case and decided not to take any action."
I dont really understand why because I thought if no particular date was mentioned, I should use past participle?
MY SECOND QUESTION:
I said:
"The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owing to its creditors is over $1 million." But, they said it was wrong and I should say:
The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owes to its creditors is over $1 million.
Pls advise, thx.
MY FIRST QUESTION:
I was talking about an action in the past (NO date was mentioned), and I said:
"The manager had reviewed the case and decided not to take any action", but these native speakers said I was wrong, they said I should not use "had" and just say "The manager reviewed the case and decided not to take any action."
I dont really understand why because I thought if no particular date was mentioned, I should use past participle?
MY SECOND QUESTION:
I said:
"The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owing to its creditors is over $1 million." But, they said it was wrong and I should say:
The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owes to its creditors is over $1 million.
Pls advise, thx.
Top answer
T:he manager reviewed the case and decided not to take any action" These actions are going one after another so that you shouldn use Past Perfect at all... Use Past Perfect only if one event took place earlier then another in the past, for example: The manager had already reviewed the case when they came... "The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owes to its creditors is over $1 million" Continious tenses should be used for the actions that occur in the very moment you tell about...
- T:he manager reviewed the case and decided not to take any action" These actions are going one after another so that you shouldn use Past Perfect at all...
- Use Past Perfect only if one event took place earlier then another in the past, for example: The manager had already reviewed the case when they came...
- "The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owes to its creditors is over $1 million" Continious tenses should be used for the actions that occur in the very moment you tell about...
- For example: I'm reading a book - means that you are reading it the same time you tell about it...
- So that if ABC have already owed over 1 million you should use Present Indefinite Tense
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2 Answers
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T:he manager reviewed the case and decided not to take any action"
These actions are going one after another so that you shouldn use Past Perfect at all...
Use Past Perfect only if one event took place earlier then another in the past, for example:
The manager had already reviewed the case when they came...
"The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owes to i
These actions are going one after another so that you shouldn use Past Perfect at all...
Use Past Perfect only if one event took place earlier then another in the past, for example:
The manager had already reviewed the case when they came...
"The total amount of debt which ABC Limited owes to i
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Your first sentence is correct if its time frame is substantially before another action that you have not included.
Owes is correct.....present tense verb of subject amount of debt
Owes is correct.....present tense verb of subject amount of debt
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