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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
why past tense?
Hi, all:
I was watch Star Trek: there are some verbs that i don't quite understand.
Guy B just signed a signature for two girls. then, Guy A comes, pointing to the jacket Guy B IS wearing:
Guy A: you had to wear the jacket.
Guy B: do you think I wore this jacket to attract attention?
Why Guy B uses "wore" instead of "wear" or "am wearing"?
How about Guy A? why does he use "had"?
Thank
Hosna
I was watch Star Trek: there are some verbs that i don't quite understand.
Guy B just signed a signature for two girls. then, Guy A comes, pointing to the jacket Guy B IS wearing:
Guy A: you had to wear the jacket.
Guy B: do you think I wore this jacket to attract attention?
Why Guy B uses "wore" instead of "wear" or "am wearing"?
How about Guy A? why does he use "had"?
Thank
Hosna
Top answer
This is the "had to" of "obligation" but it's used here to express frustration that the person did it. You thought it was necessary to hear the jacket? " You could also say "am wearing" but the past tense refers back to the time when he made the choice to wear it.
- This is the "had to" of "obligation" but it's used here to express frustration that the person did it.
- You thought it was necessary to hear the jacket?
- " You could also say "am wearing" but the past tense refers back to the time when he made the choice to wear it.
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3 Answers
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This is the "had to" of "obligation" but it's used here to express frustration that the person did it.
You thought it was necessary to hear the jacket?
The second guy uses "wore" to mean "put on" or "chose to wear." You could also say "am wearing" but the past tense refers back to the time when he made the choice to wear it.
You thought it was necessary to hear the jacket?
The second guy uses "wore" to mean "put on" or "chose to wear." You could also say "am wearing" but the past tense refers back to the time when he made the choice to wear it.
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That's an interesting question, Hosna. However, that is a common way to word such a question.
As I see it, the meaning of Guy B's question could possibly be viewed this way:
- Do you think I decided to wear this jacket (to this place) in order to attract attention?
You could also say that the meaning in the sentence is similar to "put on and wear to
As I see it, the meaning of Guy B's question could possibly be viewed this way:
- Do you think I decided to wear this jacket (to this place) in order to attract attention?
You could also say that the meaning in the sentence is similar to "put on and wear to
00
Thanks, both! I really appreciate it. I'm still a little unclear about "had to" in Guy A's sentence. When you say frustration, can I paraphrase it as this: Why did you have to wear this on(at the time point when you decided to do it)? couldn't you put on something else?
Thanks,
H.
Thanks,
H.
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