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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Use of 'have'
I'm inclined not to use 'have' (or has) in sentences like "Two men pleaded guilty to....."; while some writers I work with would write "Two men have pleaded guilty to...."
I'm under the impression that the latter is more formal, but in terms of meaning they are the same; in the media I commonly read sentences like the former. Am I correct? pls comment thanks.
I'm under the impression that the latter is more formal, but in terms of meaning they are the same; in the media I commonly read sentences like the former. Am I correct? pls comment thanks.
Top answer
It's not a matter of formality. The meanings are different, sometimes slightly different, sometimes radically different. The example you gave seems journalistic.
- It's not a matter of formality.
- The meanings are different, sometimes slightly different, sometimes radically different.
- The example you gave seems journalistic.
- The present perfect (the form with have ) is sometimes used in that context to give the event more current relevance.
- CJ
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8 Answers
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It's not a matter of formality. The meanings are different, sometimes slightly different, sometimes radically different.
The example you gave seems journalistic. The present perfect (the form with have) is sometimes used in that context to give the event more current relevance.
CJ
The example you gave seems journalistic. The present perfect (the form with have) is sometimes used in that context to give the event more current relevance.
CJ
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The present perfect seems to have a greater sense of immediacy than the simple past, and is therefore more fun to read and sells more papers. The simple past could refer to something that happened ten thousand years ago.
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Sorry, Jim, I left in the middle of posting to track down a stray cell phone. I should have rechecked. 
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Stop apologizing. Students like to hear various points of view.
Hope you found the phone.
CJ
Hope you found the phone.
CJ
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The use of has/have in a sentence changes the tense of the verb.
1. Two men pleaded guilty to the massacre charges.
-- This sentence is in simple past form. This shows that the action has occurred in the past.
2. Two men have pleaded guilty to the massacre charges.
-- This sentence is in present perfect tense. It describes an action that began in the past ans c
1. Two men pleaded guilty to the massacre charges.
-- This sentence is in simple past form. This shows that the action has occurred in the past.
2. Two men have pleaded guilty to the massacre charges.
-- This sentence is in present perfect tense. It describes an action that began in the past ans c
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