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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Trouble over past and present tense
suppose i am trying to ask my tutor that what he has just tought.
should i say
Sir,what did you say or sir,what have you said now,should the question be in present perfect or simple past.Please somebody clarify me.
should i say
Sir,what did you say or sir,what have you said now,should the question be in present perfect or simple past.Please somebody clarify me.
Top answer
No probs. Out of the choices you've suggested, "Sir, what did you say" is the better of the two. That's simple past.
- No probs.
- Out of the choices you've suggested, "Sir, what did you say" is the better of the two.
- That's simple past.
- However, "What did you say" is very direct.
- More polite would be something like: "Excuse me Sir, I didn't hear what you said.
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1 Answers
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No probs. Out of the choices you've suggested, "Sir, what did you say" is the better of the two. That's simple past.
However, "What did you say" is very direct. More polite would be something like: "Excuse me Sir, I didn't hear what you said. Could you repeat it, please?" ("Could you" is polite. "Excuse me" and "please" are very polite).
"Sir" is extremely formal, by the way.
However, "What did you say" is very direct. More polite would be something like: "Excuse me Sir, I didn't hear what you said. Could you repeat it, please?" ("Could you" is polite. "Excuse me" and "please" are very polite).
"Sir" is extremely formal, by the way.
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