Word choice

Question

Which one is correct and why?You can use the laptop when he 'is or has' finished with it.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousWhich one is correct

Both are accepted as correct.

is finished (adjective)
has finished (verb)

CJ

Hrsanei · Answer

I am a bit hesitant on the use of present perfect after "when". To me, a definite time should be used after "when" .
Hamid

CalifJim · Answer

hrsaneiI am a bit hesitant on the use of present perfect after "when".

Hesitate no more! This is a common combination. I just checked fraze.it and selected these more or less at random from hundreds of examples:

Even when he has had chances in the passing game, Carlson has had mixed results.
How can he keep a Presidential Oath when he has already broken two marriage vows.
They have met the president and eaten meals with him when he has visited Kenya.
When he has finished, he seals the lenses with clips and detaches the syringes.
When he has not been around them he does not want to have anything to do with me.
When he has gone, Tallulah tells me he has just broken up with his girlfriend.
They have not lost a game when he has been on the field in the fourth quarter.
It is often a commander's last resort when he has run out of tactical options.
When he has counted enough money to cover his own groceries, he gives her the rest.
When he has gone, what strikes me most about him is his absence of personality.

Note that in these cases, the rest of the sentence is also in the present perfect or in the simple present.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CJ, would you tell me your opinion on this:

Anonymous:
I know the normal way is to use matching tenses. But would it be possible to mix in some cases, such as use would with can. Foe example:

It would be great if we can do this.

I think it works. Please advice?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousIt would be great if we can do this.

Someone else already answered this in another thread, and I have already verified his answer.

It's: It would be great if we could do this.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, but my question is can I mix tenses in two clauses or should they always be matched or it just depends on the sentence? Or only when it is a conditional it should be matched?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymouscan I mix tenses in two clauses or should they always be matched or it just depends on the sentence?

It depends a great deal on the sentence, but the general rule is to match tenses.

As for conditionals, there are some basic patterns that all grammar books explain. Learn and use these.
As for reported speech, it's always best to match tenses because it's never wrong to do so.
In general, it's best to match tenses, keeping them in the same category, present-oriented or past-oriented.

Present-oriented: present, future (of the present), i.e., will, present perfect, imperative.
Also, can, may, must, should
Past-oriented: past, future (of the past), i.e., would, past perfect.
Also, could, would, might

On occasion, the content of the sentence itself has the purpose of contrasting two times. You have to use different tenses if this is the case. You have no choice. There is no other way to say such things. (Luke was thin and weak as a child, but he is big and strong as an adult.)

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Great examples. Thank you. I think in conditionals tenses have to match and there are more rules, for example: if you had asked me I could have showed you. The have to follow in conditionals right?

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousfor example: if you had asked me I could have showed you.

Correct. Good example. Review conditionals and you will see that there are three forms.

If you ask me, I can show you.
If you asked me, I could show you.
If you had asked me, I could have showed you.

AnonymousThey have to follow in the rules for conditionals, right?

Right. You have to know the three forms very thoroughly before you try to mix things up with strange examples that don't follow these rules. The rules stay in effect 99.999% of the time. There are very few exceptions.

CJ

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