Tagged Questions
0
votes
3answers
138 views
Infinitive vs. Past Simple for short technical annotations [duplicate]
I use source control management software at work. When I commit some changes, I annotate them with the bare infinitive like this:
"add new feature", "fix bug #10012"
I note that some of my ...
1
vote
2answers
70 views
“Until you apologised” vs. “until you have apologised” vs. “until you apologise”
What is the most correct way of saying to someone that I won't speak to him before he has apologised.
I won't speak to you until you have apologised for what you have done.
I won't speak to ...
3
votes
3answers
131 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 ...
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
81 views
“He was so desperate that he would have given anything” vs. “that he did give anything”
A: I heard he promised to buy her anything she wants.
B: Right. He was so desperate that he would have given anything to win her over.
In sentence B, instead of "would have given," is "did ...
0
votes
1answer
498 views
“That answer helps a lot” or “it helped a lot” [closed]
Lets say I ask a question here on this forum, and I get a convincing answer. And I want to let him know this his answer really helped me understand the whole thing.
So what should I use: "Thanks, it ...
2
votes
2answers
204 views
“He was telling me that he is going…” vs. “He told me that he is going…”
Is it right to say
He was telling me that he will go on a vacation next week.
while recounting your experience?
Even though "he told me that he is going..." seems more appropriate, I would still ...
0
votes
2answers
144 views
“It is” vs. “it was” [closed]
The recurrent cholangitis happened in the past. But when I am discussing the event now, which of the following should I use?
It is the incomplete stone removal that caused the recurrent ...
1
vote
1answer
785 views
“You have successfully registered and logged in.” vs “You have been successfully registered and logged in.” [closed]
After the user press the submit button and everything in the registration form is correct he is automatically registered and logged in. And the message is shown in a pop up window. However, I am not ...
7
votes
1answer
191 views
Tagged question and perfect tense
I've just passed one of numerous English grammar online tests. And I agree with all the mistakes I've made except this one:
You ______ put it back before the boss comes ...
2
votes
3answers
441 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?
0
votes
3answers
144 views
“Will” vs. “going to” vs. Present Continious [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“The train will leave” vs. “is going to leave” vs. “leaves” vs. “is leaving”
Here are three sentences:
David is going ...
3
votes
4answers
5k views
“I have received” vs. “I received”
The option of using simple past vs. present perfect in situations like the following has been bothering me for quite some time.
I sent you a letter a few days ago; I was wondering if you have ...
0
votes
2answers
256 views
“I thought they have taken it off” vs “I thought they took it off”
What is the difference between the usage of simple past and present perfect in the following:
Update: Here is the conversation.
A. I am going to get some food. [Apparently the food was there] B. ...
1
vote
3answers
233 views
Present Perfect in reviews
When explaining an experiment from a paper which one of the following seems more suitable and natural.
In this paper they study the genetic structure of human body. They have examined over 100 ...
1
vote
4answers
304 views
Which tense to use with “whole last year”?
I would like to say that I worked whole year for my company on one specific project but I am not sure about the tense and word order. I still work for them and had worked before.
My idea is:
The ...
2
votes
4answers
442 views
“Clicking the button saves… ” vs. “clicking the button will save…”
I wish to describe just what gets saved when the user clicks the 'Save' button on a web page. Should I write "Clicking the Save button saves all changes" or "Clicking the the Save button will save all ...
1
vote
3answers
289 views
“One way would be” vs “One way will be”?
What is the difference between "One way would be" and "One way will be"? Can both of them be used for future actions?
0
votes
1answer
2k views
Must had vs must have [closed]
If someone says that they had been to Florida on a recent trip, which one of the following would be a correct respone:
That must had been fun.
That must have been fun.
Or is there a ...
-1
votes
2answers
575 views
I had waited until the rain stopped / I waited until the rain had stopped — any difference? [closed]
I don't understand the tense that is used with until. Here are some examples:
I had waited until the rain stopped.
I waited until the rain had stopped.
Villagers had stayed indoors until ...
0
votes
2answers
82 views
“At that school before”
Would it be right to say "I was at that school before," or do I have to say "I went to that school before/I studied at that school before"?
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Tense of “lie”/“lay” in a clause
I've been using "lay" but many people have looked at my sentence dubiously.
However, while in secondary school, I abandoned my higher scientific aspirations because I became more focused on a ...
4
votes
2answers
792 views
Should computer game screens show “you lose” or “you lost”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why “I win” instead of “I won”?
My friend and I are designing the "game over" screen for a game we are developing, and I'm thinking of putting ...
3
votes
2answers
122 views
(was + was) vs (was + is)
I was wondering what's the difference between these two sentences:
The person who was at the head of the demonstration is Ms. Tan.
The person who was at the head of the demonstration was Ms. ...
2
votes
3answers
5k views
“I had a dinner” vs. “I was having a dinner”
A friend of mine showed a video on her Facebook wall post. She posted this:
I had a dinner with Chinese friends, I was happy at that moment!!
Should it be "I was having a dinner" instead of "I ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
“Didn't check” vs. “Hadn't checked”
I text-messaged my friend on his cell phone last night and this morning I got a reply saying, "I had saved your number, ...but I didn't check my cell until now.."
Is "didn't check until now" okay, or ...
3
votes
1answer
6k views
“Being ran”, “being runned” or something else?
The past tense of run is ran. However, you couldn't say something was being "ran" poorly i.e. the business was ran poorly. However, saying "runned" would be wrong as well. What would be the word to ...
0
votes
1answer
73 views
“They develop skills at this age” vs. “they are developing skills at this age”
Which one is correct? If both are correct, are there any differences in meaning?
For children, the age of 3 is very
critical time, because they develop
their language skills rapidly at this
...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
“understand” or “understood”?
When I explain something to my friend and I want to make sure they got what I said, what should I say?
"Do you understand?"
"Did you understand?"
"Have you understood?"
etc.
3
votes
4answers
2k views
Differentiating between “written” and “writing”
For some reason it is written and writing. It's confusing to me.
How can I remember to write them differently?
6
votes
4answers
3k views
“Forgot” vs “Forget”
Is the following correct, or is there more to it?
"I forgot his name" — I knew his name, but I forgot it.
"I forget his name" — I keep forgetting his name. Where using "forget" basically means that ...
9
votes
5answers
551 views
Version control messages: what tense?
In software engineering we use version control systems. Every time we check in modifications we usually leave a message with a summary of change. The question for me has always been: what is the most ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
Correct usage of “Could” and “Can” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do I use “can” & “could”?
In a company, the HR asked me:
"Could you please sign here".
I want to know whether it is correct or "Can " ...
4
votes
3answers
239 views
'Am I interpreting' vs 'Do I interpret'?
Am I interpreting the results correctly?
Do I interpret the results correctly?
Do they have the same meaning? Are both or just one correct?
17
votes
5answers
3k views
Is it acceptable to use “is become” instead of “has become”?
In the King James version of the Bible there is a verse like this:
The Lord is my strength, and my fortress, and my song. And He is become my salvation.
Is it still feasible to use "is become" ...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
Is it correct to say “What was your name?”?
Is it correct to say "What was your name?"? The reason I am asking this is, generally the name of the person will not change. One should say "What is your name?"
...
5
votes
1answer
518 views
Narrative tenses (for things that haven't happened yet)
I learn that when we are telling a story, we should use past tense. What if in our story there's an event that will happen after the story being told?
For example, in the following sentence:
...
4
votes
2answers
4k views
What is the difference between “I forgot” and “I had forgot”?
I forgot versus I had forgot. What is the difference between the two phrases?
21
votes
6answers
16k views
When do I use “can” or “could”?
When should I use can? When should I use could?
What is right under what context?
