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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

present perfect or simple past

hi,

in the following sentences present perfect fits better but my question is: is using the past really wrong? (I'm correcting exams at the moment and am suddenly unsure...)

"Ertl’s research laid the foundation of modern surface chemistry, which, in recent years, **has helped** explain ..."
"His work **has paved** the way for development of cleaner energy sources in the past few years."

Thanks for your help!
peppermintpatty
  

Top answer

I may not have all the facts to answer, but here’s my take on it. “Ertl’s research laid the foundation of modern surface chemistry…” That is definitely long ago (before modern times), so past tense is appropriate. “…which, in recent years…” this puts a ‘place-holder’ on an event time to which you can apply either past tense or past perfect tense.

— Wilpeter

  • I may not have all the facts to answer, but here’s my take on it.
  • “Ertl’s research laid the foundation of modern surface chemistry…” That is definitely long ago (before modern times), so past tense is appropriate.
  • “…which, in recent years…” this puts a ‘place-holder’ on an event time to which you can apply either past tense or past perfect tense.
  • What might factor into it is any further comments that need a ‘place-holder’ where present tense may apply.
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2 Answers
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I may not have all the facts to answer, but here’s my take on it.
“Ertl’s research laid the foundation of modern surface chemistry…”
That is definitely long ago (before modern times), so past tense is appropriate.
“…which, in recent years…” this puts a ‘place-holder’ on an event time to which you can apply either past tense or past perfect tense. What might factor into it is any furth
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For the first, the past is unnatural only if the 'helping' clearly continues up to the present time. I, personally, feel that the past simple 'paved' is better in the second. . Is his work really still paving the way? This seem unlikely, as it laid (past) the foundation of modern surface chemistry.

This is a situation in which only real knowledge of the real-life situation can te
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