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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Tense questions
Hello
Currently I am reading a book about English tenses. I am trying to understand the tense rules so I can use the correct tense's when I write or speak.
I would like some clarification from the following examples I got from the book.
1) Had you not done that before? As my understanding, we use Had when two things happened in the past. Why can't we say "Have you not done that before?" Will this be incorrect?
2) She had not phoned be back. Again this is a negative statement and I feel like saying She has not phoned be back... because we are missing the second part of the sentence.
3) I had two cars. Same goes with this sentence. Should it not be something like: I had two cars when I lived in Russia.
My second question is, what is the difference between I had/I've had.
Example: I've had this food before or I had this food before or I had this food before when I lived in Russia.
Thank you
Currently I am reading a book about English tenses. I am trying to understand the tense rules so I can use the correct tense's when I write or speak.
I would like some clarification from the following examples I got from the book.
1) Had you not done that before? As my understanding, we use Had when two things happened in the past. Why can't we say "Have you not done that before?" Will this be incorrect?
2) She had not phoned be back. Again this is a negative statement and I feel like saying She has not phoned be back... because we are missing the second part of the sentence.
3) I had two cars. Same goes with this sentence. Should it not be something like: I had two cars when I lived in Russia.
My second question is, what is the difference between I had/I've had.
Example: I've had this food before or I had this food before or I had this food before when I lived in Russia.
Thank you
Top answer
Anonymous 1) Had you not done that before? As my understanding, we use Had when two things happened in the past. " Will this be incorrect?
- Anonymous 1) Had you not done that before?
- As my understanding, we use Had when two things happened in the past.
- " Will this be incorrect?
- It depends on the context: Had you not done that before?
- ) Have you not done that before?
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3 Answers
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Anonymous1) Had you not done that before? As my understanding, we use Had when two things happened in the past. Why can't we say "Have you not done that before?" Will this be incorrect?It depends on the context:
Had you not done that before? (He did it again some time ago.)
Have you not done that before?(He did it again recently or
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Thanks for a fast response.
Regarding the link you have recommend I still don't understand the difference between I had or I have had.
I had this food before. (taking your explanation would mean: I had this food some time ago).
I have had this food before.
How would you use these two forms? Please explain.
Thanks again.
Regarding the link you have recommend I still don't understand the difference between I had or I have had.
I had this food before. (taking your explanation would mean: I had this food some time ago).
I have had this food before.
How would you use these two forms? Please explain.
Thanks again.
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AnonymousI had this food before.A simple statement of the past event.
AnonymousI have had this food beforeA statement of a past life experience.
The roles of present perfect are complex, and if CJ's comprehensive post was lost on you. then I suggest you read in greater depth about its uses by googling the term:
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