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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Past tense or present perfect tense?

I sometimes get confused when it comes to tenses like the one below. Which is the correct answer to this one, past tense or present perfect tense? And why? Many thanks!!



I’m really hungry. I didn’t have any breakfast this morning and I _____(not, have) time to grab anything to eat this afternoon.
  

Top answer

If it's still afternoon you can use the present perfect otherwise use the simple past.

— Ivanhr

  • If it's still afternoon you can use the present perfect otherwise use the simple past.
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3 Answers
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If it's still afternoon you can use the present perfect otherwise use the simple past.
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If those are the only two choices, I would agree with Ivanhr: present perfect if it's still the afternoon, since the present perfect then expresses a continuing connection between the moment of speaking and the afternoon; past simple, if it is now evening, since the connection between the moment of speaking and the afternoon has been broken by the change from afternoon to evening.

Howeve
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If you only have those two choices, use the present perfect because you're still hungry and you're giving an explanation of your present hunger.

CJ
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