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Taka Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Tense

Are these both OK?

They have taken trains when they visit there.
They have taken trains when they have visited there.
  

Top answer

They are both rather awkward and difficult to fit to a context.

— GPY

  • They are both rather awkward and difficult to fit to a context.
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9 Answers
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They are both rather awkward and difficult to fit to a context.
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Then would you think that it would be impossible to convert the underlined infinitive "to visit there" to a clause?

They have taken trains to visit there.
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TakaThey have taken trains to visit there.
This is also rather awkward. The problem seems as much do with the "They have taken trains ..." part as the underlined part, but I'm having a little difficulty separating the grammar question that you are intending to ask from the general unnaturalness of the context in which it is embedded. Can you think of a differe
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It seems easier to say, they took trains while they were there. Or of course they took a train to get there.
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GPY TakaThey have taken trains to visit there.This is also rather awkward. The problem seems as much do with the "They have taken trains ..." part as the underlined part, but I'm having a little difficulty separating the grammar question that you are intending to ask from the general unnaturalness of the context in which it is embedded. Can you think of a different exampl
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Then your second option seems to be better.
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TakaWhat I'm thinking about is the tense problem, so I would like you to leave the semantics aside for the moment.What about these?They take trains when they travel around.If the main clause was the present perfect as:They have taken trains...what would the subordinate clause be like?
The present perfect is not particularly common in this pattern, and may not
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Another possible pattern is like:

They have always stayed in the Grand Hotel when visiting.
I've often seen her when driving to work.
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