Tagged Questions
1
vote
0answers
64 views
simple present or past in describing an event shown in a series of pictures
I'm correcting my 7th graders' writing assignment in which they're given three pictures of a fat boy who decides to go on a diet and finally becomes thinner. I've been told that using present simple ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
what are the correct tenses “very different from what he … do” [duplicate]
I were talking with a person about certain musician and was going to mention a song, that was very different from what the musician... say, ever did. But then I wondered what is the correct tense to ...
-2
votes
1answer
102 views
Why 007 said “You weren't using it”? [closed]
I've watched 007 skyfall. Had one scene, that Agent was driving and 007 sat beside her. She drove very fast and then car side mirror was removed because crashed with something beside the road.
after ...
-2
votes
2answers
1k views
When do we use “had had” and “have had”? [duplicate]
I have seen several sentences in English where some writers have written had twice in a row. I am a bit confused about when the grammar calls for using had had.
For example:
I had had my car ...
-3
votes
1answer
168 views
past perfect and past continuous [closed]
Which of these is correct?
Before he had come to the factory, Tom was studying at the University of London.
Before he came to the factory, Tom had studied at the University of London.
3
votes
3answers
132 views
What tense should be used when looking at an old photo?
Commenting on a photo which was taken a few years back:
Question:
Is this you?
Should I reply:
Yes, this is a few years back.
or:
Yes, this was a few years back.
Which of the ...
4
votes
2answers
188 views
could versus be able
Let me start by saying what is written in grammar books on this issue and after that I will put my question. (Take heed that this usage of "could" ONLY refers to the past and ONLY to affirmative ...
1
vote
1answer
148 views
'Has found' versus 'found' [duplicate]
When would one say "she has found her keys" as opposed to "she found her keys"? Are they equivalent, or at least partially equivalent? I'm not a native speaker and have been unable to find a pattern ...
0
votes
1answer
63 views
“X is famous” vs. “X was famous” [duplicate]
When saying a sentence like:
Nikola Tesla __ famous because he was a genius.
Should the blank be replaced by is or was?
Or is it dependent on when the person is/was famous? If so, what exactly ...
2
votes
1answer
91 views
very specific tense aspect configuration
I recently tried to translate a German sentence to English and I failed. I won't give you the German version but rather the background configuration of it.
Two people talk about an event that has ...
6
votes
3answers
593 views
What tense is “If I were a bird, I could fly”
The sentence is not referring to any time past, present of future. It's just referring to an imaginary condition which has never existed and seemingly will never exist. Still, the sentence and other ...
4
votes
1answer
511 views
Generalised rule for verb usage in simple present tense using participle
I'm doing a school exercise where I have to give an explanation of the underlined (or in this case bold) verb usage in given sentences, following this format:
I was waiting.
past continuous ...
-1
votes
2answers
192 views
Is this sentence using tenses correctly? [closed]
If such stage was completed based on un-signed English financial statements (USEFS), the doer is to initial all pages of the USEFS.
Is the above sentence grammatically correct with two different ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
How to understand perfect tense? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
I have a difficult time to understand perfect tense.
I don't see the different for the following two ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Is “is been” a valid construction?
I have found sentences in some contexts which surprisingly use "is" and "been" together:
He is been watching too much television lately.
She is been feeling a little depressed.
The compiler is been ...
1
vote
2answers
377 views
What is perfect in present perfect continous tense? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why is 'present perfect' present if it happened in the past? And why is it 'perfect'?
This is a mystery for me.
Why do we say perfect in tenses, for ...
1
vote
1answer
856 views
Confused by the past tense and the present tense
Suppose I'm talking about some design scheme. I say something like
"foo was once designed and implemented in a way called bar that ...". Then I want to introduce the original scheme "bar", for ...
-4
votes
2answers
149 views
“It will turn into water” vs “it turns into water” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Scientific article style: present or future
Which sentence is correct between these two:
If you heat ice, it will turn into water.
If you heat ice, it turns into ...
7
votes
3answers
4k views
“It would be better if you drink/drank all the water”
Which one of the following is grammatically correct?
It would be better if you drink all the water.
It would be better if you drank all the water.
The question is, obviously, about the use ...
3
votes
4answers
690 views
Is the use of past tense as “let me know if you needed” common?
Here is a literally-quoted passage from Martyrs in Paradise: Woman of Mass Destruction by Terry Reese Downing:
"How nice of you. And thank you," she again was appreciative.
"My pleasure. Go ...
2
votes
1answer
671 views
Would certainly have or certainly would have?
I have these confusions sometimes. Firstly, which among the following are grammatically correct to use in sentences-
She would certainly have loved that.
She would have certainly loved ...
3
votes
4answers
210 views
Can “should be” be used for past possibility?
I was reading the following report on the NY Times, and came across the following:
The goal has to be to shut down all of the program that gives Iran the capability to build a bomb. The United ...
-1
votes
4answers
1k views
I lived vs I used to live
I cannot see any difference between these two sentences. I assume both express the same but what is the difference? I thought that "used to" is used to describe an action that was happening in the ...
0
votes
1answer
688 views
Should it be 'Is there are' or 'are there'?
I am confused between 'Is there are' and 'are there' which one of them is correct? For example 'Is there are/are there any time before 1 o'clock?' Thank you.
1
vote
3answers
3k views
When we entered, he had been there
So I heard this sentence and also few contradictions about that.
Does it mean that when they entered, he was already gone because he had there been before them?
Or he just was there before them and ...
4
votes
5answers
797 views
If he is still alive today, he…
Suppose Jeff was born on 1/1/1982. He went missing a long time ago. At the present time, he could be either dead or alive, but nobody knows for sure:
1 "If Jeff is still alive today, he is 30 years ...
1
vote
2answers
276 views
Unreal vs real time in that example
I have following sentences :
She looks as if she is ill. //she really looks ill
She looks as if she was ill //she definitely is not, I am being ironic or whatever
And when I shift these into ...
0
votes
2answers
845 views
“I have to” vs. “I must”
When would you use the following?
I have to go the market.
I must go to the market.
I need to go to the market.
If I replace 'have' with 'had' would you have any other way to say it? E.g. I had to ...
-2
votes
3answers
4k views
“I met” vs “I've met” [closed]
What's the difference between the following?
I met him in the UK.
I've met him in the UK.
Does the second sentence mean that the event was happened recently?
0
votes
2answers
451 views
As yet + past simple/present perfect
I was unable to find out the rules here and what is the difference:
As yet, he has not received the package.
As yet little was known of
the causes of the disease.
2
votes
3answers
444 views
“Let's see who wins” vs. “let's see who will win”?
I have seen the following sentences:
Let's see who wins.
Why not "who will win"?
Let it be decided tomorrow who will win.
Why not present here, then?
2
votes
5answers
3k views
Wouldn't have been alone
Listening to the BBC one of the journalists made the following utterance when discussing a historic figure, "The Khan".
A: For merchants the crucial issue was protection when traveling.
B: I ...
4
votes
6answers
706 views
Present Perfect vs Present perfect continuous
Could you correct the comments in parentheses, please? Are they right?
I have lived in Los Angeles. (A completed action; the person does not live there anymore).
I have lived in Los Angeles ...
0
votes
3answers
233 views
Since he left, nobody cares/has cared?
I would like to say that since one of my colleagues left, nobody cares about our project anymore. Or nobody has cared?
EDIT: I want to say that nobody cares now and it started when X left.
0
votes
1answer
184 views
Pray as if he sees you vs. Pray as if he is seeing you
When we want to write or say about something general as in the following, which sentence makes more sense over the other? And what could be the differences?
When you pray to God, pray in a way as ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
Question about interrogations in past tense
In regard to this answer, my question is similar but that answer is not clear. I want to know why we use base form of verb, e.g. 'go' to form the past tense instead of past form such as 'went'?
...
0
votes
3answers
12k views
“I have chosen,” “I choose,” or “I am choosing”?
In a week time I'm taking an exam. I want to know whether I can say 'I have chosen' or not. It is present perfect too.
The task is:
You would like to go on a party. Look at the picture and decide ...
1
vote
2answers
300 views
“Did/would he eat something?” [closed]
Do both of the sentences have the same meaning?
Did he eat something?
Would he eat something?
I've heard would can also be used to refer to things that happened in the past.
2
votes
2answers
194 views
Choosing Past Simple or Past Perfect: Do I need “had” here?
Do I need "had" here? If yes, do I need to change "did" to "done"?
A: Lucy accidentally broke her mum’s favorite cup yesterday.
B: Oh! I think her mom was really angry at her, right?
A: ...
1
vote
1answer
459 views
Correct tense for “I wish I had worn socks today” [closed]
I had an argument in the office today, about structuring something I said about not wearing socks.
I said the first of the four lines below, then everyone had their input. All the arguing gave three ...
2
votes
2answers
5k views
“I had sent you”
I received the following email today, we discussed the report before the email where I told the person that I hadn't(also can I use hadn't here) received it. I was wondering if it's all grammatical. ...
0
votes
3answers
2k views
“I am trying to learn” vs “I try to learn”
What is the difference between present simple and present progressive when it comes to actions like the following?
At school, I am trying to learn a wide array of subjects.
At school, I try ...
-2
votes
1answer
2k views
“Had you been there for quite sometime?”
Can we say "Had you been there for quite some time?" without saying "before" this and that? Or should we rather say "Were you there for quite some time"?
4
votes
2answers
990 views
Present perfect for past action with present effect
If I seem tired, can I say: "I haven't slept last night"? If not, why have I been told that we use present perfect for actions that have present effects?
1
vote
2answers
303 views
There is this driver “who would go” or “who goes”
If you want to explain a situation where, for example, you want to talk about a bus driver who goes and take a coffee sometimes on the way, which one would be more appropriate:
There is this one ...
1
vote
2answers
185 views
Why past perfect in the following?
The following is taken from a website. In the context below why the second part, "had signed", is in past perfect?
... The case was scheduled to be tried before the justice of the peace in the ...
4
votes
3answers
594 views
“My ear hurts” Or “My ear is hurting”
Which tense is best suited to describe sickness and pain? In the example below, what are the differences between the two usages? Which one sounds more natural?
My ear hurts
My ear is hurting
...
3
votes
2answers
3k views
“If we were to agree” vs “If we are to agree”
In an undecided situation that needs to be discussed, which one of the following seems more accurate? Are they interchangeable?
If we were to agree on this deal, do you think we can start ...
4
votes
3answers
294 views
Is “lay” in this sentence in the correct tense?
I'm making a description for an app, this strikes me as a bit awkward for some reason:
"I wanted to create an app that lay somewhere between an ecosystem and a musical instrument."
Is the word ...
1
vote
2answers
820 views
Past tense vs Past participle tense [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Present perfect tense versus past tense
Here is the example:
I haven't spoken any English for more than 3 years.
vs.
I didn't speak any English over the past 3 ...
