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Pastsimple Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Present perfect in a museum
Well, this happened when I was abroad this summer:
I came to a museum. It was 12 o'clock and I knew the museum closed at 1 pm - I read the label on the door before I came in.
The lady in the museum informed me about this fact as well - she hadn't seen me reading the label.
I replied: "I've seen the label."
Is the present perfect correct here? I'd say it is because I wanted to stress the present result - my knowledge of the fact. However, I think some people might argue that I should have used the past simple because I spoke about a definite time in the past: "I saw the label (when I was entering the door)." Could you please comment on this?
Also, what else could I have said to sound as natural as possible? Just for fun: in my mother tongue, I would have said I've seen it on the doorbut I consider this completely unnatural and "un-English".
I came to a museum. It was 12 o'clock and I knew the museum closed at 1 pm - I read the label on the door before I came in.
The lady in the museum informed me about this fact as well - she hadn't seen me reading the label.
I replied: "I've seen the label."
Is the present perfect correct here? I'd say it is because I wanted to stress the present result - my knowledge of the fact. However, I think some people might argue that I should have used the past simple because I spoke about a definite time in the past: "I saw the label (when I was entering the door)." Could you please comment on this?
Also, what else could I have said to sound as natural as possible? Just for fun: in my mother tongue, I would have said I've seen it on the doorbut I consider this completely unnatural and "un-English".
Top answer
Pastsimple Well, this happened when I was abroad this summer: I came to a museum. It was 12 o'clock and I knew the museum closed at 1 pm - I read the label on the door before I came in. The lady in the museum informed me about this fact as well - she hadn't seen me reading the label.
- Pastsimple Well, this happened when I was abroad this summer: I came to a museum.
- It was 12 o'clock and I knew the museum closed at 1 pm - I read the label on the door before I came in.
- The lady in the museum informed me about this fact as well - she hadn't seen me reading the label.
- " Is the present perfect correct here?
- I'd say it is because I wanted to stress the present result - my knowledge of the fact.
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23 Answers
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PastsimpleWell, this happened when I was abroad this summer:
I came to a museum. It was 12 o'clock and I knew the museum closed at 1 pm - I read the label on the door before I came in.
The lady in the museum informed me about this fact as well - she hadn't seen me reading the label.
I replied: "I've seen the label."
Is the present perf
00
To me, both Present Perfect examples seem fine. Also, I think that «Thanks, I saw the label (on the door)» could be ok as well.
But if you explicitly specify the time using Past Perfect will be incorrect.
«I saw (only Past Simple) the label whern I entered the museum».
EDIT: Missed Nef's post...
But if you explicitly specify the time using Past Perfect will be incorrect.
«I saw (only Past Simple) the label whern I entered the museum».
EDIT: Missed Nef's post...
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Hi guys,
thanks for your helpful comments. Btw, I have made a mistake in the title of this thread: it should read "present perfect in a museum". Shame on me!
thanks for your helpful comments. Btw, I have made a mistake in the title of this thread: it should read "present perfect in a museum". Shame on me!
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PastsimpleBtw, I think "I saw the sign" might not be the most natural choice in BrE. It surely works in AmE, though.Right.
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Not that this is on topic, but I'm intrigued. A posting outside a building is called a label in BrE? What is a sign?
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PastsimpleWell, this happened when I was abroad this summer:
I came to a museum. It was 12 o'clock and I knew the museum closed at 1 pm - I read the label on the door before I came in.
The lady in the museum informed me about this fact as well - she hadn't seen me reading the label.
I replied: "I've seen the label."
Is the present perf
00
I'm wondering about the BrE "label" and "sign" usage, too. This is interesting.
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There is no difference in the level of politeness in these sentences, and to suggest that the use of past perfect is more polite than simple past is absurd.
"Yes, I've seen the sign, thank you."
"Yes, thank you, I saw the sign on the way in."
As long as you don't combine the past perfect with when you saw it: I've seen the sign on my way in is incorrect.
"Yes, I've seen the sign, thank you."
"Yes, thank you, I saw the sign on the way in."
As long as you don't combine the past perfect with when you saw it: I've seen the sign on my way in is incorrect.
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Grammar GeekNot that this is on topic, but I'm intrigued. A posting outside a building is called a label in BrE? What is a sign?Well, GG, it's in NnsE - Non-native speaker's English! In other words, using label is a sign that you're not a native speaker.
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Well, those R's are just lovely. Don't even think of getting rid of them!
And, for what it's worth at the end of your discussion, I'd have said, by the way, with a smile:
Yes, I saw the sign!
CJ
And, for what it's worth at the end of your discussion, I'd have said, by the way, with a smile:
Yes, I saw the sign!
CJ
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