Tagged Questions
1
vote
1answer
45 views
Should “How long were you at work?” have a simple or a compound tense?
I would like to know, if the following sentence can ever be correct in any context?
How long were you at work?
Or it must be:
How long had you been at work?
For example:
How long were ...
-1
votes
2answers
95 views
Present Perfect Vs Present Perfect Continuous and Simple Past/ Past Perfect Vs Past Perfect Continuous [closed]
What is the difference in meanings of the following pairs of sentences? It's very confusing to me.
a. I have lived in Paris for 4 years.
b. I have been living in Paris for 4 years.
a. I ...
-1
votes
1answer
108 views
“I been” or “I’ve been”? [closed]
In the famous song Every Breath You Take by The Police, Sting sings:
Since you've gone I been lost without a trace…
I admit that I am not some expert in English Grammar, but this "I been" ...
1
vote
2answers
75 views
Present and past perfect dilemma
This sentence is giving me trouble:
For several days I (have/had) not had the chance to see her until a
few hours ago.
I think had is correct because the time reference is a few hours ago, ...
0
votes
1answer
107 views
Reported Speech Tense Choice [closed]
Which of the followings sentences would be the best choice?
The victim explained how he became addicted five years ago...
His addiction is so bad that he is unable to keep a steady ...
0
votes
1answer
304 views
“Had spent” vs. “has spent” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
where should we use has/have been and had been?
[Company] had spent previous years a few blocks away from the new location.
This sentence uses "had spent", but to ...
1
vote
1answer
226 views
When not to use past perfect?
In a recent question: Past perfect or past simple in combination with present perfect? the asker presented three options.
I have examined the document you gave me and...
I have examined the ...
1
vote
3answers
234 views
Past perfect or past simple in combination with present perfect?
Suppose I received a document from my colleague, studied it and then gave him feedback in a letter. How should I construct the following sentense?
I have examined the document you gave me and...
...
-3
votes
2answers
237 views
“His hopes had not materialized”/“have not materialized”/“have not been materialized”
Which one is preferable in following sentence?
His hopes of getting through the I.A.S. had not materialized till today's date.
His hopes of getting through the I.A.S. have not materialized ...
3
votes
3answers
251 views
Correct tense for events which happend long time ago but still have direct connection with present time
Suppose that a man disappeared twenty years ago and I haven't had a notice about him since then. What should I say to my interlocutor if I want to tell him about this story?
You know, Harry has ...
3
votes
2answers
203 views
Perfect tenses in conditionals
Why does one sometimes use the perfect tense in conditions of the first type? Say,
I will do something if you have done something.
I did something when he had done something.
instead of,
...
0
votes
0answers
38 views
Calling “Past Perfect” the “Past” of “Present Perfect” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
Can we consider the past perfect to be the past form of present perfect?
He has been a teacher for ...
2
votes
1answer
16k views
“have been” versus “had been” in questions [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
"I can tell that he's not English, but I wouldn't had been able to tell that he's french if you didn't ...
0
votes
2answers
133 views
“Once the client has replaced the songs” or “Once the client had replaced the songs”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
Mira is wondering what is the correct way to say:
"Once the client has replaced the songs" or "Once ...
2
votes
1answer
21k views
where should we use has/have been and had been?
Where should we use "has/have been" and "had been"? What is the difference between
them?
6
votes
5answers
2k views
Is this correct: “I'd have to have had…”
This sentence makes my head hurt a bit, and it doesn't seem right, but perhaps you guys could help me sort it out.
"If I would've gone to Canada, I'd have to have had some kind of winter gear."
1
vote
5answers
6k views
Can I use “I have asked something”
I wonder whether “ask” can be used as verb in past or present perfect tense. I used “I have asked something from somebody” in email, but this sentence sounds a little weird to me. So I want to check ...
1
vote
3answers
5k views
“I had finished the work on friday” / “I have finished the work”
Every morning, I have to speak in English. Suppose that today is Monday.
Do these two sentences convey the same meaning?
On Friday, I had finished the work.
"Had" is used here because it is ...
1
vote
2answers
496 views
Verb Forms and Their Usage
What is meant by "present perfect", "past perfect", and "future perfect" verbs? How can I identify them or know which is which?
