Simple Present vs. Simple Past vs. Present Perfect

Question

A.  We will call you as soon as we make our decision.B.  We will call you as soon as we made our decision.C.  We will call you as soon as we've made our decision.D.  Please text me as soon as you get home.E.  Please text me as soon as you got home.F.  Please text me as soon as you've got home.1.  Which tense of the verb is correct in the above sentences?2.  If two or more are possible, is there a diffence in meaning between the correct tenses?3.  If two or more are possible, which is the most natural?Thank you.

MichalS · Accepted Answer

A. We will call you as soon as we make our decision.
~~B. We will call you as soon as we made our decision.~~
C. We will call you as soon as we've made our decision.

D. Please text me as soon as you get home.
~~E. Please text me as soon as you got home.~~
F. Please text me as soon as you've got home.

Anonymous1. Which tense of the verb is correct in the above sentences

Present Simple or Present Perfect

Anonymous2. If two or more are possible, is there a diffence in meaning between the correct tenses?

Very little. Present Perfect gives additional emphasis that one action must be completed before another one takes place.

Anonymous3. If two or more are possible, which is the most natural?

Both are natural. Sometimes you may want to stress that one action must be done before something else happens:

You can go only when you've finished your homework.

But then again, "You can go only when you finish your homework." is possible as well.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

MichalS
Anonymous2. If two or more are possible, is there a diffence in meaning between the correct tenses?
Very little. Present Perfect gives additional emphasis that one action must be completed before another one takes place.

Michals,
I am not sure if I understand your comment. Can you elaborate?
Present perfect has an inferred continuance of something that links the past to the present. i.e. I have known him for 10 years. Also, it can be expressed without time referance. I have known him since we were kids. Don't you agree?

MichalS · Answer

Hi Dimsumexpress,

I couldn't agree more. However, here (that is in so called Time Clauses) Present Perfect has quite a different role than in your examples and what I think it does is emphasize that one action must be completed before another one takes place.

(a father to a child:) You can go out only when/as soon as/after you've finished your homework. Not earlier!! Understand? Not earlier!!

You can say the same using Present Simple and it wouldn't be much different.

Michal

P.S. I'm not sure what exactly you mean. Are you questioning the correctness of using present perfect in these examples?

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Hi Michals,
OK, I've got you. Thanks for the reply. Though, I would just causually use the simple present tense in the context. Of course, present perfect is a grammatically viable option.

Anonymous · Answer

AnonymousA. We will call you as soon as we make our decision.
B. We will call you as soon as we made our decision.
C. We will call you as soon as we've made our decision.

D. Please text me as soon as you get home.
E. Please text me as soon as you got home.
F. Please text me as soon as you've got home.

1. Which tense of the verb is correct in the above sentences?
2. If two or more are possible, is there a diffence in meaning between the correct tenses?
3. If two or more are possible, which is the most natural?

Thanks, MichaelS and dimsumexpress, for your input. I really appreciate it.

Could a native speaker also share his thoughts on my questions above, please?
If the simple present and present perfect are the correct tenses, don't you think the simple present is more natural than the present perfect especially in dependent clauses? Is this true in the given contexts?

Mister Micawber · Answer

I agree with Michal's first post in his analysis of the verb forms; however, the phrase 'as soon as' (which really means 'at almost the same time that') makes the simple present sound much better than the perfect aspect in your second example, and I am sure the simple has a higher frequency.

In D/F, the texting is expected immediately upon arrival, so the perfect aspect suggests a delay that is not the intent. In A/C, however, it makes sense that the decision would have to be carefully completed before the call, and therefore, the present perfect sounds more natural than in F.

(In both cases, I would use A and F on first reflection, and B and E do not work at all, of course.)

MichalS · Answer

Hi MM,

Mister Micawberhowever, the phrase 'as soon as' (which really means 'at almost the same time that') makes the simple present sound much better than the perfect aspect in your second example

You're absolutely right about that. I just wanted to give some synonyms that would fit the context and I went too far.

Mister MicawberIn D/F, the texting is expected immediately upon arrival, so the perfect aspect suggests a delay that is not the intent.

Again, I do see what you mean and I agree with you. However, what I had in mind was a situation in which somebody calls his mum shortly before he's reached home so she stops worrying sooner. But his mother, having seen through this, stresses that she wants to receive the phone call only when he's got home, not when he's in the neighbourhood (as bad things can happen to you even there). And "as soon as" would stress for me that she wants it (his calling her) to be the very first thing he does when at home.

That's what I had in mind. Really. But I know it's not very plausible.

Mister Micawber(In both cases, I would use A and F on first reflection, and B and E do not work at all, of course.)

Not A and D?

Michal

Mister Micawber · Answer

Sorry, yes: I meant A and D, the simple present.  Thanks, Michal.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks Mister Micawber and MichaelS for your inputs.  From your exchange, now I understand. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Simple Present vs. Simple Past vs. Present Perfect

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions