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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Linguistics Studies

Why do we need the perfect tenses?

Hello,
I am just wondering why the perfect tenses exist. For the past perfect, instead of saying "I had broken the desk before I fled the apartment", couldn't you just say "I broke the desk before I fled the apartment"? Same with present perfect..instead of saying "I have told you this many times" couldn't you say "I told you this many times"?
  

Top answer

Well there are more than one reason for using perfect tense. Native speakers and others will be able to give a lot of information about it. Here is one about present perfect.

— Vsuresh

  • Well there are more than one reason for using perfect tense.
  • Native speakers and others will be able to give a lot of information about it.
  • Here is one about present perfect.
  • When a past action seems to be relevant to the present, present perfect is used.
  • Example I will tell you how you can reach this place: I have gone there twice.
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8 Answers
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Well there are more than one reason for using perfect tense. Native speakers and others will be able to give a lot of information about it.

Here is one about present perfect. When a past action seems to be relevant to the present, present perfect is used.
Example
I will tell you how you can reach this place: I have gone there twice.
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Where is the other answer???
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AnonymousWhere is the other answer???
I have no idea. Was there supposed to be another answer? Do you mean another reason for using perfect tenses? I don't understand the question.

CJ
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AnonymousHello,I am just wondering why the perfect tenses exist. For the past perfect, instead of saying "I had broken the desk before I fled the apartment", couldn't you just say "I broke the desk before I fled the apartment"? Same with present perfect..instead of saying "I have told you this many times" couldn't you say "I told you this many times"?
The shor
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I mean there was an initial answer posted by me that hasn't appeared here.
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AnonymousI mean there was an initial answer posted by me that hasn't appeared here.
Oh. I'm afraid I don't know anything about that. I just stumbled upon this thread and don't know anything about the history of it.

CJ
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AnonymousI mean there was an initial answer posted by me that hasn't appeared here.
I suppose it's possible that you have been banned, and that is why your post was deleted. The other posts haven't been deleted, because somebody responded to them
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AnonymousI mean there was an initial answer posted by me that hasn't appeared here.
Please re-post it and we'll check the content.

(I'm beginning to think I might be sleep-moderating, and that's why I'm so tired in the morning.)
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