0
PreciousJones Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Tell him

Please tell me if these sentences could be used and what's the difference:

I didn't tell him that I've had a major surgery. Or I didn't tell him I had a major surgery.

Do they essentially mean the same thing?

Thank you.
  

Top answer

Yes, same meaning and usually uttered with the same intent. Present perfect suggests the surgery was more recent, perhaps. However, 'surgery' is a non-count noun: [ U ] the treatment of injuries or diseases in people or animals by cutting open the body and removing or repairing the damaged part The patient had/underwent surgery on his heart.

— Mister Micawber

  • Yes, same meaning and usually uttered with the same intent.
  • Present perfect suggests the surgery was more recent, perhaps.
  • However, 'surgery' is a non-count noun: [ U ] the treatment of injuries or diseases in people or animals by cutting open the body and removing or repairing the damaged part The patient had/underwent surgery on his heart.
  • He made a good recovery after surgery to remove a brain tumour.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

12 Answers
0
Yes, same meaning and usually uttered with the same intent. Present perfect suggests the surgery was more recent, perhaps.

However, 'surgery' is a non-count noun:

[U] the treatment of injuries or diseases in people or animals by cutting open the body and removing or repairing the damaged part


The patient had/underwent surgery on
0
0
Hi Precious,

As I suggested in an earlier thread, it might help you learn better if you tried to explain to us why you would consider using each of these tenses.

For example. why would you consider Present Perfect?

Best wishes, Clive
0
0
Clive,

The reason for the present perfect is because I was talking to a friend a second ago, so I decided that present perfect should be used, but it seems like the past is correct too because it happened in the past.
0
0
Both forms have to do with the surgery, not the talking.
0
0
CliveHi Precious,

As I suggested in an earlier thread, it might help you learn better if you tried to explain to us why you would consider using each of these tenses.

For example. why would you consider Present Perfect?

Best wishes, Clive

Since the surgery was a while ago, I think it's better if I said this:

I
0
0
Since the surgery was a while ago, I think it's better if I said this: I didn't tell him I had had major surgery. - Past perfect.-- This is not sufficient reason to use past perfect.
0
0
The surgery happened before I told him I had surgery.
0
0
That is logically obvious and therefore does not call for past perfect. Past perfect is used to (1) distinguish the order of 2 past events whose precedence is otherwise unclear or (2) occasionally for emphasis. Otherwise, forget it.

I'll let Clive deal with the reported-speech aspect.
0
0
Mister MicawberThat is logically obvious and therefore does not call for past perfect. Past perfect is used to (1) distinguish the order of 2 past events whose precedence is otherwise unclear or (2) occasionally for emphasis. Otherwise, forget it.

I'll let Clive deal with the reported-speech aspect.

Please do explain..
0
0
Hi Precious,

Since the surgery was a while ago, I think it's better if I said this:

I didn't tell him I had had major surgery. - Past perfect.

But what I'm confused about is: Doesn't I didn't tell him I had major surgery imply the same thing? That I've had surgery before?

What's the difference between:

I didn't tell him I had had
0

Related Questions