PERFECT sense

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Hi,Could we reserve our judgements until we've seen the place?This man fell asleep too. (to his friend when he sees a sleeping man; the man's still sleeping)Ooops! I seem to have dropped my fork.In those sentences due to what we choose either present perfect or simple past / simple present ? Let's change the tenses like this:Could we reserve our judgements until we see the place?This man has fallen asleep, too. (to his friend when he sees a sleeping man; the man's still sleeping)Ooops! I seem to drop my fork.  OR Maybe(?) I seemed to drop my fork.Do you think anything changes for each sentence? If yes, in what way?Thanks in advance..

English 1b3 · Accepted Answer

johnerCould we reserve our judgements until we see the place?

No real difference in meaning. The present perfect emphasizes the the seeing has been completed.

johnerThis man has fallen asleep, too. (to his friend when he sees a sleeping man; the man's still sleeping)

This one emphasizes that he's still asleep, whereas the version with the present simple could be expressing that he is now awake, based on the given context.

johnerOoops! I seem to drop my fork. OR Maybe(?) I seemed to drop my fork.

I seem to drop my fork expresses habituality; you seem to drop your fork very regularly/all too often, for example.

Johner · Answer

Hi,

Thanks for the reply but sorry I couldn't get it.

English 1b3
johnerThis man has fallen asleep, too. (to his friend when he sees a sleeping man; the man's still sleeping)
This one emphasizes that he's still asleep, whereas the version with the present simple could be expressing that he is now awake, based on the given context.

I assume you meant past simple by present simple. but still.. I heard that sentence(with the past simple) in a movie and the man was still sleeping while he was saying it to his friend (pointing the man). Are we not supposed to use present perfect if the action's still occuring? does it depend on the verb? for example:

the boy did his homework. (he definitely finished it.)

the man fell asleep. (he can be sleeping or awake. we're not sure about it.)

what makes them diferent? since the tense is the same, it must be verb that generates the variation. but how? what's the matter with these verbs?

English 1b3
johnerOoops! I seem to drop my fork. OR Maybe(?) I seemed to drop my fork.
I seem to drop my fork expresses habituality; you seem to drop your fork very regularly/all too often, for example.

then what does "seem" contribute to the sentence? If it's habit we could easily say: you drop your fork too often. I seem to be confused a little / I'm confused a little. both are fine?

Thanks a lot..

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