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Nerdikarp Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

"This is not the first time I see this mistake." or "This is not the first time I saw this mistake."

1-"This is not the first time I see this mistake."

2-"This is not the first time I saw this mistake."

I think one is correct because it is a fact. Which is correct? Am I right? And what's the difference in meaning?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

The ordinals ( first, second, third, ... ) and only usually trigger the present perfect . This is not the first time I have seen this mistake.

— CalifJim

  • The ordinals ( first, second, third, ...
  • ) and only usually trigger the present perfect .
  • This is not the first time I have seen this mistake.
  • This is the second time that you have said that.
  • This is the only time I know of that Jane has refused to go with us.
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4 Answers
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The ordinals (first, second, third, ...) and only usually trigger the present perfect.

This is not the first time I have seen this mistake.

This is the second time that you have said that.

This is the only time I know of that Jane has refused to go with us.

CJ
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Neither of those. It should be "This is not the first time I HAVE SEEN this mistake".

Think about it like this.

I HAVE SEEN this mistake before. Someone else made the same mistake in the past.

I HAVE SEEN your mistake (I saw it just a moment ago, so I can use past tense, although I still SEE your mistake).

This is not the first time I HAVE SEEN this mistake.
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Hi Kris,

"Have seen" is not past tense, it's present perfect.

I disagree with your explanation to some extent. The present perfect in such a context can also be used for a present ongoing action as below:

Lisa is singing. It's the first time I have heard her sing. ---> I am still hearing her.

BUT you cannot say:

Lisa is singing.
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Agreed, you can't say "It's the first time I HEAR her sing".

Thanks for the explanation. I'm not sure I understand completely. Someday I'll learn all the grammatical terminology but for now, I know what's right and what's wrong, but I sometimes have trouble explaining it.
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