'stated' or 'have stated'?

Question

Hi, Wondering which one is actually correct:1) We have checked that the document number is ___ as you have stated earlier.2) We have checked that the document number is ___ as you stated earlier.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Wondering which one is actually correct:

1) We have checked that the document number is ___ as you have stated earlier.

2) We have checked that the document number is ___ as you stated earlier.

Use #2. The 'earlier' makes it a simple statement of a past fact, so just use Simple Past tense.

Clive

Recluse · Answer

Hi, I am just another guy who also have a question about this post, and here is my question:

If I wrote the answer " had stated", would it be a correction answer? Please tell me the reason.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

First, let's look at a couple of simpler examples.

You stated the document number earlier.

You had stated the document number earlier.

Do you know the difference here? If you do, then we can discuss the other sentences.

Best wishes, Clive

Recluse · Answer

The first one means that you may not have finished the thing that you started.

The second one means that you already finished the thing that you had started.

Is that right?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Are you perhaps confusing the word 'stated' with the word' started'?

Clive

Recluse · Answer

Hoops! I misread it...

Well, I don't know how to make a reason out of the differences of the sentences... and I am now started to think that the second one is wrong, but I really don't know the reasons. However, I have made some reasons for it, but I have no resource show that the reasons are correct..

First reason: We can't use both " had" and "have" in one sentence, because they aren't the same tense.

Second reason: We can't use "had" if the sentence have a specific time such as "earlier" ( Well, I think this one probably wrong, because I have seen some sentences that contained specific time such as last year, yesterday, in 19xx, and so on.

I really got confused about the sentences, could you please help me?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Let's first concentrate on the simpler question I asked you, which was this.

Rememner that the word is 'stated', not 'started' as you originally thought.

First, let's look at a couple of simpler examples.

You stated the document number earlier.

You had stated the document number earlier.

Do you know the difference here? I'm asking you because if you don't understand these sentences, then you won't understand thingss in a moment when we look at your original sentences.

Best wishes, Clive

Recluse · Answer

Hi,

I don't think there is any difference in meaning between those two.

The only difference is that the first one is simple past tense, and the other is past perfect tense...

Clive · Answer

Hi again,

You stated the document number earlier.

You had stated the document number earlier.

I don't think there is any difference in meaning between those two.

The only difference is that the first one is simple past tense, and the other is past perfect tense...

There's a lot of difference. You need to review Past Perfect, and I think probably Present Perfect. These tenses are often difficult for learners. The difficulty is not in forming the tenses, but in understanding what they mean and when they should and should not be used.

Here are a few simple examples and comments, to begin with.

Mary cooked dinner. This is a simple statement of past fact. She may have cooked dinner 5 minutes ago, or 50 years ago.

Mary has cooked dinner. This tells us about a past action that has importance in the present. It sounds like dinner is on the table and it's time to eat.

Mary had cooked dinner. This tells us about an action that happened in the past and that had importance at some later point in the past. eg Tom came home from work last Thursday at 6 pm. Mary had cooked dinner. This means that dinner was on the table last Thursday at 6 pm.

Compare this complete set of examples.

Tom came home from work. Mary cooked dinner. This sounds like she cooked dinner after he came home.

Tom came home from work. Mary had cooked dinner. This means she cooked dinner before he came home.

Tom came home from work after Mary cooked dinner. Here, we don't need to use Past Perfect because the 'after' makes the meaning clear.

If you search the Forum, you will find many other discussions about the Perfect tenses.

Best wishes, Clive

Clarence · Answer

Clive
Hi,

Wondering which one is actually correct:

1) We have checked that the document number is ___ as you have stated earlier.

2) We have checked that the document number is ___ as you stated earlier.

Use #2. The 'earlier' makes it a simple statement of a past fact, so just use Simple Past tense.

Clive

Hi Clive,

I gather from somewhere that if a time is indicated as in eg. 'earlier', 'yesterday', etc, then a Simple Past should be used. But if no time is indicated, then a Present Perfect should be used. So based on this, 2) is correct while 1) isn't. Is this right?

Clarence

'stated' or 'have stated'?

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