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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
present perfect tense and past perfect tense.... different usage??
Hello... I would like to ask a few questions about present perfect and past perfect tense..
do we use past perfect tense when we are mentioning something that happened before a past action only?? or is there any other circumstances which require us to use past perfect tense??
When we are describing an incident, do we use past perfect tense??
Note this sentence : ( adapted from an english essay reference book )
"of course, there HAVE BEEN isolated cases in the past when the indicriminate use of the cane by a handful of teachers HAS resulted in physical injury"
Why was present perfect used here when this sentence is mentioning something in the past??
Thank you...
Shannon
do we use past perfect tense when we are mentioning something that happened before a past action only?? or is there any other circumstances which require us to use past perfect tense??
When we are describing an incident, do we use past perfect tense??
Note this sentence : ( adapted from an english essay reference book )
"of course, there HAVE BEEN isolated cases in the past when the indicriminate use of the cane by a handful of teachers HAS resulted in physical injury"
Why was present perfect used here when this sentence is mentioning something in the past??
Thank you...
Shannon
Top answer
The implication is that these isolated cases are on an imaginary list of things that are relevant to the current conversation. You can think of the present perfect as a kind of "diary tense". If you say, "The use of the cane has resulted in physical injury", you mean that the occurrence of such an incident is written down somewhere (in an imaginary diary).
- The implication is that these isolated cases are on an imaginary list of things that are relevant to the current conversation.
- You can think of the present perfect as a kind of "diary tense".
- If you say, "The use of the cane has resulted in physical injury", you mean that the occurrence of such an incident is written down somewhere (in an imaginary diary).
- When it happened is not important.
- So, if knowing that it has happened (that it is 'recorded somewhere') is important in the conversation, you use the present perfect tense.
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8 Answers
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The implication is that these isolated cases are on an imaginary list of things that are relevant to the current conversation. You can think of the present perfect as a kind of "diary tense". If you say, "The use of the cane has resulted in physical injury", you mean that the occurrence of such an incident is written down somewhere (in an imaginary diary). When it happened is not importan
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Hmm.. Thanks for the reply CJ
but how about this : "there HAVE BEEN isolated cases in the PAST"
Since its in the past, shouldn't we use "had been"??
the same question again, besides stating that an action has happened before another one, when do we still use past perfect tense??
Thanks
Shannon
but how about this : "there HAVE BEEN isolated cases in the PAST"
Since its in the past, shouldn't we use "had been"??
the same question again, besides stating that an action has happened before another one, when do we still use past perfect tense??
Thanks
Shannon
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Hi,
Yes, many of us are still here.
how about this : "there HAVE BEEN isolated cases in the PAST"
Since its in the past, shouldn't we use "had been"?? The Present Perfect means the period referred to is 'the past up until now, ie up unitl the present'.
the same question again, besides stating that an
Yes, many of us are still here.
how about this : "there HAVE BEEN isolated cases in the PAST"
Since its in the past, shouldn't we use "had been"?? The Present Perfect means the period referred to is 'the past up until now, ie up unitl the present'.
the same question again, besides stating that an
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Anonymous"there HAVE BEEN isolated cases in the PAST"No. The present perfect is about things in the past. Don't let the name 'present perfect' fool you. The word 'present' tells us that the reference point is the present. The action itself is in the past.
Since its in the past, shouldn't we use "had been"??
CJ
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Hi
I thout present perfect refers to a happening of present, and it still taking place now.
I thout present perfect refers to a happening of present, and it still taking place now.
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Hi,
I thout present perfect refers to a happening of present, and it still taking place now.
Consider something like this.
Hi, Dad. I have passed my driving test. Can I borrow the car?
The person clearly passed the test in the past, but that event has importance now because he wants to borrow the car now.
Best wishes, Clive
I thout present perfect refers to a happening of present, and it still taking place now.
Consider something like this.
Hi, Dad. I have passed my driving test. Can I borrow the car?
The person clearly passed the test in the past, but that event has importance now because he wants to borrow the car now.
Best wishes, Clive
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AnonymousI thought the present perfectNo. You are mistaken. It is about a happening in the past. Trefersreferred to a happeningofin the present, and it is still taking place now.
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