0
Cup cake Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Present perfect example

Hi Everyone,

I was just reading the news online and stopped at this sentence:

' He said that at some point, he would have considered going alone, but decided against it for various reasons.'

I know it's a present perfect sentence, but I'm stumped as to 'why' it's correct.

Yes, going alone IS a possibility, but why is it OK to use the present perfect here? Is there any link to a conditional?

Thanks
CC Emotion: tongue tied
  

Top answer

'I know it's a present perfect sentence, but I'm stumped as to 'why' it's correct. In my opinion, it's a sentence expressed in the past tense with hypothetical "would" followed by the perfect infinitive "have considered" in it.

— Anonymous

  • 'I know it's a present perfect sentence, but I'm stumped as to 'why' it's correct.
  • In my opinion, it's a sentence expressed in the past tense with hypothetical "would" followed by the perfect infinitive "have considered" in it.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

11 Answers
0
Cup cake' He said that at some point, he would have considered going alone, but decided against it for various reasons.'I know it's a present perfect sentence, but I'm stumped as to 'why' it's correct.
In my opinion, it's a sentence expressed in the past tense with hypothetical "would" followed by the perfect infinitive "have considered" in it.
0
0
Thanks Anon. Emotion: yes

Yes, that all sounds reasonable.

I've always explained to students that the present perfect relate
0
0
Conditional III: 'He would have considered it if he hadn't decided against it'.

That is the intended structure, but the writer has misused it, since the text suggests (illogically) that he decided against it before he considered it!
0
0
He had a choice. But he decided not to think about it. There is an implied trivial conditional.

If he had wanted to consider going alone, he would have considered it.
0
0
OK...thank you both for your input.

Yes, the sentence is rather illogical now that you point it out Mr. M. Maybe this is why I found it difficult to assign it to the 'correct rule'.

0
0
Cup cakeI've always explained to students that the present perfect relates to something that has started in the past and finished recently. The sentence I found puts a different spin on my traditional answer.
The presence of "would" means you don't have a present perfect tense here at all. would have considered is a "modal perfect" tense. Once you hav
0
0
Thanks CJ. Emotion: smile

I will add this 'new bit of knowledge' to my teaching repertoire. I love these 'hairy' examples. They make for
0
0
Cup cakeThis makes for a great discussion?I've heard this said so many times, but it's not grammatically correct.
What is incorrect about it, do you think?
0
0
I think it sounds fine, but if a student asked me 'why is the preposition 'for' in this sentence?' I wouldn't know how to answer him/her.

This makes for a great discussion.

Isn't the correct grammar term, 'this makes a great discussion?'

I don't know why we can slot 'for' into the sentence.

0
0
Cup cakeIsn't the correct grammar term, 'this makes a great discussion?'
That is an option, but the idiom is 'make for'.

http://www.onelook.com/?w=make+for&ls=a&loc=home_ac_make+for
0

Related Questions