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Whatchadoin Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Present perfect
Why do native speakers sometimes use simple past when they should use present perfect?
I started playing that game.
I decided to stay a while.
I got better.
Shouldn't all the examples be in present perfect because there are results in the present?
I started playing that game.
I decided to stay a while.
I got better.
Shouldn't all the examples be in present perfect because there are results in the present?
Top answer
No. You don't know when these events took place. I got to the party and found a lot of my friends there.
- No.
- You don't know when these events took place.
- I got to the party and found a lot of my friends there.
- I decided to stay a while.
- Then Joyce Barnhart came.
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2 Answers
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No.
You don't know when these events took place.
I got to the party and found a lot of my friends there. I decided to stay a while. Then Joyce Barnhart came. I can't stand her. I left soon after.
I was really sick in 2008. I got better, but it took a very long time.
You don't know when these events took place.
I got to the party and found a lot of my friends there. I decided to stay a while. Then Joyce Barnhart came. I can't stand her. I left soon after.
I was really sick in 2008. I got better, but it took a very long time.
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But sometimes I hear sentences like "I noticed." instead of "I've noticed." Or "I lost my keys.", "I broke my leg.". I think that they all should be in present perfect because they still don't have the keys and the leg is still broken.
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