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Anonymous Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

"have completed" v "had completed"

Hi Teachers/Moderators,

(1) I would like to know whether bold writing has correct grammer.

If not, why not??, Also When do I use the "have focused" and "have completed" then? Also if there are other grammer errors, please correct it.

I just recently graduated from the RMIT University’s Masters of Professional Accounting degree, where I had focused my studies on accounting and taxation.

For my communication skills, I believe I have very good communication skills because I had successfully completed a few communication subjects which involved both written and oral communication.

Thanks in advance
  

Top answer

This message is addressed to teachers and moderators, I am neither but I think I can answer the question. In the two sentence examples you gave, you seem to have the phrases, have focused, and have completed , the wrong way round. The first sentence:- "I just recently graduated from the RMIT University’s Masters of Professional Accounting degree, where I had focused my studies on accounting and taxation" .

— Tallulah Tam

  • This message is addressed to teachers and moderators, I am neither but I think I can answer the question.
  • In the two sentence examples you gave, you seem to have the phrases, have focused, and have completed , the wrong way round.
  • The first sentence:- "I just recently graduated from the RMIT University’s Masters of Professional Accounting degree, where I had focused my studies on accounting and taxation" .
  • Should read:- I just recently graduated from the RMIT University’s Masters of Professional Accounting degree, where I have completed my studies on accounting and taxation.
  • (or in accounting and taxation) And the second sentence:- "For my communication skills, I believe I have very good communication skills because I had successfully completed a few communication subjects which involved both written and oral communi cation" .
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16 Answers
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This message is addressed to teachers and moderators, I am neither but I think I can answer the question. Emotion: smile

In the two sente
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For my communication skills, I believe I have very good communication skills because I have successfully completed a few communication subjects which involved both written and oral communication.

Hmmm. In addition to using "have", I think I'd tweak this sentence a little more in other ways as well.

CJ
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I actually would like to ask about why we use "I have" in those circumstances, why not "I had" since I graduated around 1 month ago.

To my understanding, we use "i had completed" because because something has passed, and we use "i have completed" for thing that has just completed.

The actual details are not important. I just want to know the grammer.

Thank you

T
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Jim,

How about:-

"My focus on communication skills in both written and oral communication enables me to say with confidence and pride (or as the politicians would say, "with a degree of certitude") that I am proficient in both areas".
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I don't know the simple answer to that question, but this illustration may help.

"I have your address". (in my pocket) Present tense.

"I had your address". (but I've lost it) Past tense. (present tense in brackets - I have lost it now)

If it is in the near past "I have completed"

"I had completed" sounds as though you did it so far back
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Going back to your original sentences, Anon, and without specific reference to the fine explanations before mine-- the past perfect is not required in either:

I have just recently graduated from the RMIT University’s Masters of Professional Accounting degree, where I focused my studies on accounting and taxation. (The events occur in a natural sequence recogniz
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Tallulah,
Yes. That's nice.
Jim
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I actually would like to ask about why we use "I have" in those circumstances, why not "I had"

You have not sufficiently established a past point of view from which to launch out into a "past of the past".
You have not established a narrative line (in the past) from which it would be necessary to back-track into a "past of the past". That's because you are
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Now, I think that was very helpful from you guys. I really appreciate all the help.

For my communication skills, I believe I have very good communication skills because I have successfully completed several communication subjects which involved both written and oral communication. (Present perfect for the immediacy of the completion)

So If I just say I had completed
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"For my communication skills, I believe I have very good communication skills because I have successfully completed several communication subjects which involved both written and oral communication three years ago. (added)".

I would leave the second "have" out, it is not needed. (Called "cannibalism" by H.W. Fowler, - the swallowing up of
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