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JaxTeller Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

The ambulance is on its way . There's been an accident

Why hasn't the simple past been used rather than the present perfect in this sentence

''The ambulance is on its way to Beck's house. There's been an accident''

Why not: ''there was an accident''

It was a sentence used in a game. There is no other context used.
  

Top answer

Hi, Present perfect needs to be used as the accident happened in the past but the effect is still present. You can use past simple for complete past actions. Hamid

— Hrsanei

  • Hi, Present perfect needs to be used as the accident happened in the past but the effect is still present.
  • You can use past simple for complete past actions.
  • Hamid
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5 Answers
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Hi,
Present perfect needs to be used as the accident happened in the past but the effect is still present.
You can use past simple for complete past actions.
Hamid
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How is the effect still present. That's the part I don't get.

It's not as easy as for instance: I've lived here for 5 years (I still live here)

Kind of different to me.
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The reason the ambulance is on the way is the present state of the people involved in the accident.
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Emre25The ambulance is on its way ... There's been an accident.
The implication is

The ambulance is on its way (now) (because) there has been an accident (very recently, which requires the ambulance now).

The present perfect connects with the present to make it sound more like the two sentences belong together.

Even though th
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Thank you, it's pretty clear to me now. You're right about it being disconnected. Very true.
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