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Whatchadoin Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Since
You make Stefan smile which is something I haven't seen in a very long time. - But he did see it like 2 or 3 hours ago.
Did the speaker use present perfect in this sentence because the action was recently finished?
It's been a while since anyone could resist my compulsion. - There was this girl and she resisted his compulsion 1 hour before he uttered the sentence. Why did he use present perfect?
Thank you very much.
Did the speaker use present perfect in this sentence because the action was recently finished?
It's been a while since anyone could resist my compulsion. - There was this girl and she resisted his compulsion 1 hour before he uttered the sentence. Why did he use present perfect?
Thank you very much.
Top answer
You make Stefan smile which is something I haven't seen in a very long time. This conversation could have taken place hours or even days after the event. Present perfect can be an action that occurred in the past, which is of present interest.
- You make Stefan smile which is something I haven't seen in a very long time.
- This conversation could have taken place hours or even days after the event.
- Present perfect can be an action that occurred in the past, which is of present interest.
- In your examples, there is another event that sets a comparative time frame.
- That event is described in present tense (a kind of universal time), not past tense.
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4 Answers
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You make Stefan smile which is something I haven't seen in a very long time.
This conversation could have taken place hours or even days after the event.
Present perfect can be an action that occurred in the past, which is of present interest. In your examples, there is another event that sets a comparative time frame. That event is described in present tense (a kind of universal
This conversation could have taken place hours or even days after the event.
Present perfect can be an action that occurred in the past, which is of present interest. In your examples, there is another event that sets a comparative time frame. That event is described in present tense (a kind of universal
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So the speaker used present perfect because the action was relevant to the present?
I've never such a beautiful girl. - Can I say this one even if I saw the girl 10 days ago?
I haven't worked out in a while. - Can I also say this one even if I stared working out 10 days ago?
Thanks.
I've never such a beautiful girl. - Can I say this one even if I saw the girl 10 days ago?
I haven't worked out in a while. - Can I also say this one even if I stared working out 10 days ago?
Thanks.
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I've never seen such a beautiful girl. - Can I say this one even if I saw the girl 10 days ago? Absolutely yes, if her beauty has stayed in your mind since you saw her. 10 days, 10 years, whatever.
I haven't worked out in a while. - Can I also say this one even if I stopped working out 10 days ago? Yes, especially if your normal workout routine has been disr
I haven't worked out in a while. - Can I also say this one even if I stopped working out 10 days ago? Yes, especially if your normal workout routine has been disr
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I haven't worked out in a while. - Can I also say this one even if I started working out 10 days ago after having a break?
The original sentence is:
You make Stefan smile which is something I haven't seen in a very long time. - The other speaker wasn't making Stefan smile at the moment of the utterance. Shouldn't the sentence be "You mak
The original sentence is:
You make Stefan smile which is something I haven't seen in a very long time. - The other speaker wasn't making Stefan smile at the moment of the utterance. Shouldn't the sentence be "You mak
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