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New2grammar Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
present perfect tense
I remember reading a post in this forum that the present perfect tense should not be used with a time in the past. For example,
?I have read the paper this morning.
However, I found this in an article.
The U.S. military has conducted similar successful tests in the past
Is this sentence correct? Thanks in advance!
?I have read the paper this morning.
However, I found this in an article.
The U.S. military has conducted similar successful tests in the past
Is this sentence correct? Thanks in advance!
Top answer
There are, I think, two reasons why that example is OK. First, it's from a newspaper. The combination of present perfect with a time in the past is sometimes found in journalistic style.
- There are, I think, two reasons why that example is OK.
- First, it's from a newspaper.
- The combination of present perfect with a time in the past is sometimes found in journalistic style.
- Second, and more important for this example, the phrase in the past is not definite enough to be objectionable with the present perfect tense.
- The present perfect is sometimes called the indefinite past (while the simple past is called the definite past).
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4 Answers
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There are, I think, two reasons why that example is OK.
First, it's from a newspaper. The combination of present perfect with a time in the past is sometimes found in journalistic style.
Second, and more important for this example, the phrase in the past is not definite enough to be objectionable with the present perfect tense. The present perfect is sometimes called
First, it's from a newspaper. The combination of present perfect with a time in the past is sometimes found in journalistic style.
Second, and more important for this example, the phrase in the past is not definite enough to be objectionable with the present perfect tense. The present perfect is sometimes called
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Thank you, CalifJim.
I tried to gain some deeper understanding of the proper usage of a present perfect, either here or with online sources, but came to a tentative summary of a sort that the use of a present perfect in most of the sentences is based on the assumption that the person doing the act is functional and/or the action is still ongoing; but I think the rationale for the use of
I tried to gain some deeper understanding of the proper usage of a present perfect, either here or with online sources, but came to a tentative summary of a sort that the use of a present perfect in most of the sentences is based on the assumption that the person doing the act is functional and/or the action is still ongoing; but I think the rationale for the use of
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what is missing from the sentence "The U.S. military has conducted tests in the past" is a very definite likehood it will be followed with more consolidating sentence information that will give more detail to the one sentence in questionCould you give an example of a "more consolidating sentence information" that might follow "The U.S. military has conducted tests
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