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Question

1. People usually like to use past tense of 'forget',- forgot to make sentence. For example: A: Did you do the homework? B: OHH, I forgot to do it. Why person B used past tense, he should use present tense because he just realizes that he forgets to do homework, he didn't realize it before, let say, yesterday. I think the reason for B uses past tense is because so B he did forget to do his hw last night? He emphasizes on his memory of last night?

2.In news, it usually says: Someone dies at 83. Why they used 'dies', not 'died'? Also, there are some other things which have already happened, but they used present tense.

THanks for help.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Didn't this already get answered in another thread?

[:^)]

Clive

MIA6 · Answer

Seriously, I didn't get any acceptable answers.

Bokeh · Answer

MIA6In news, it usually says: Someone dies at 83. Why they used 'dies', not 'died'?

This type of narative is often used for current events in journalism; after all news should be new and up to date, not considered past happenings.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

1. People usually like to use past tense of 'forget',- forgot to make sentence. For example: A: Did you do the homework? B: OHH, I forgot to do it. Why person B used past tense, he should use present tense because he just realizes that he forgets to do homework, he didn't realize it before, let say, yesterday. I think the reason for B uses past tense is because so B he did forget to do his hw last night? He emphasizes on his memory of last night? Yes.

On the other hand, consider this.

Tom: Mary, do you know Jack's phone number?

Mary: Sorry, I forget (it).

Here, Mary uses present tense because the emphasis is on the fact that she forgets (cannot remember ) now, in the present.

Best wishes, Clive

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