All Questions
Tagged with present-tense past-tense
179 questions
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Which tense to choose [closed]
There are a couple of sentences:
The water froze and caused the pipe to burst.
If it is a succession of past events it should be Past Simple.
But if the first part happened earlier, it should be :
...
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2
votes
2
answers
117
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What are the rules of copular "to be" tense in pseudo-cleft sentences?
What are the rules for the tense usage of copular "to be" in pseudo-cleft sentences?
I have several examples:
What I didn't like was the end of the movie. --> was
What changed his mind ...
2
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3
answers
251
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Present tense or past tense: "I realized it wouldn’t be as easy as it (seem)"
I was doing a grammar practice question where we are to spot the mistakes in the sentences and I came across this sentence:
It was only when I came closer to it that I realized it wouldn’t be as easy ...
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2
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117
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What is correct: "did you do smth and do smth" or "Did you do smth and did smth"?
I'm trying to figure out which form is correct when composing such a question:
"Did you go there and forget to eat?"
"Did you go there and forgot to eat?"
Not the most creative ...
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2
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39
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I would like to know which option is the right one: Why did... or Why has...? [closed]
Why did the dog make so much noise this night?
Why has the dog made so much noise this night?
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2
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2
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163
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What is finished the verb or the object?
Is it correct to say?
A: What did you do yesterday?
B: I woke up, had a shower, wrote a book and then went to work. (I didn't write the whole book) 1:03 --- 1:10 a teacher from YouTube, please have a ...
-1
votes
1
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101
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I had a girlfriend. She (was/is) an american. Which one is correct and doesn't sound odd? [duplicate]
Which one doesn't sound odd and is correct?
"I had a girlfriend. She was an american."
Or
"I had a girlfriend. She is an american."
- 15
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2
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59
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Is it "The only thing my father taught me (was/is) how to respect women? [duplicate]
Which one should be used? Was or is? Which is more likely to sound odd?
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49
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"The only thing they forgot to teach us is/was how to be a student." Which is right? "Is" or "was"?
Which sounds correct?
The only thing they forgot to teach is how to be a student.
Or
The only thing they forgot to teach was how to be a student.
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1
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89
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the entire film/book
If I say:
"I read the book." or "I watched the film."
Does it mean that I read the entire book or that I watched the entire film?
If it does, how should I say to emphasise that I ...
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54
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Why did you ask me if they have any allergies? [duplicate]
In this sentence, the person is referring to a question that was asked in the past but a condition that is current. Can the past and present tense be used in this case or should it be "Why did ...
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1
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128
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Correct tenses for history book
I’m reading and hearing conflicting advice on this topic. I’m writing a history book and I am getting tripped up on tenses when the time period shifts when referencing the same topic. Some are telling ...
0
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1
answer
43
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What is are the distinct names for these verbs: 'Display' and 'Displays' [closed]
Given the statement Click this button to display your presentation and Clicking this button displays your presentation.
I assume both the words display and displays are verbs but what is the name of ...
- 137
1
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1
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157
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Is it okay to say "Do you know there is" [closed]
I've come across this sentence below.
"Do you know there is an air purification system that will destroy viruses and bacteria floating through the air?"
Does this sound natural?
It might ...
- 21
0
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181
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Using present tense in past tense narration
Is it grammatically correct to use the present tense in fiction that's narrated in the past tense? Sometimes, as a writer, you add "general statements" into your narrative. Example:
But ...
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1
answer
673
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What is a complex/difficult example of English tenses? [closed]
I'm a native English speaker, and while learning other languages, I've learned that English has more complex tenses than other languages. I don't know what all of the English tenses are, but the most ...
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1k
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"Is / was / has been / had been used" in a statement
I'm confused whether I should use are or were or have been or had been in the following statement when describing the use of language in a passage
In paragraph 6, detailed adjectives ____ used to ...
2
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2
answers
671
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If clause with a past tense about future for hypothetical condition
Is there any case in English were a future condition is represented with past tense?
E.g. "If I saw you tomorrow, I will do ..."
In some languages, it casts more doubt for the condition to ...
- 203
0
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1
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209
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Present Tense and Past tense in context
Present Tense and Past tense in context
There is a text/ paragraph as follows:
If I have a description at the start, say "I visited Thailand. There were a lot of nice restaurants.", then if ...
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1
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0
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24
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Is it possible to use the past and present tenses in the same sentence? [closed]
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
I did not complain and tell myself to calm down and try to solve this difficult problem.
Or:
I did not complain and told myself to calm down and try to ...
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1
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52
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What kind of verb phrase is it when “is” in the present tense is immediately followed by another verb that’s itself in the past tense?
Please consider this example of three sentences in sequence:
The building is destroyed.
The rubble is then removed.
The rubble is broken into smaller pieces.
What kind of verb phrase is ...
0
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2
answers
149
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A sentence without a predicate in the middle of narrative given in past tense [duplicate]
From William Gibson’s debut 1984 science-fiction novel, Neuromancer:
Crossing the arcade to stand beside her, high on the deal he’d made, he saw her glance up. Gray eyes rimmed with smudged black ...
2
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2
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151
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Mixing Past & Present Tense
Original:
"These two peers would later become an advantageous support system for me personally, assisting as I struggled with the structural engineering portion of my internship project at the ...
1
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0
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202
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Using the present tense or past tense for a fact
I know that we should use the present tense when talking about facts. However, in some instances I cannot decide which tense to use.
For example,
"The analysis assumes that a and b are ...
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1
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3
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247
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Present tense Used for Past event [duplicate]
I saw a news headline that reads: he admits accident was caused by drunk driving.
My question is why they use present tense (admits) instead of past tense (admitted). The news was written after the ...
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2
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44
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Why are we using a past modal verb with a present verb in this sentence?
it is typically restricted to military aircraft except for the
legendary Concorde, which was able to speeds of up to three times that
of passenger planes today
Why are we using 'was able to' with '...
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0
votes
1
answer
102
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Past tense and present tense in a same sentense. Tense consistent or logically correct?
I am trying to tell a thing that happened in the past. But that thing has a fact that is still true in the present. Could you tell me which one of the following is true?
I had a lesson with a tutor ...
1
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0
answers
114
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Using Past Simple versus Present Simple in a commentary for a documentary
I've been translating a commentary to a history documentary and I'm not sure if my choice of tenses is optimal. In Polish, just like in English, the Present Simple tense is occasionally used for ...
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2
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2k
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What's difference between " I knew i loved you" and " i knew i love you"?
I can't understand when i can use past and present tenses in one sentence together and when i can use only past one.
I knew you loved me
I knew you love me
they're both referring to present moment ...
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1
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6k
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"had spent" vs. "spent"
Which tense would be appropriate in this case - past perfect simple or past simple?
"After he had spent some of the money, he decided to find his dream house."
or
"After he spent some ...
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2
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1
answer
60
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Perfect Tense Stative verbs
I'd like you to tell me which one of my following sentences is correct. I am not sure if I have to use the past simple or present perfect.
I'd add that I want to talk about something which is still ...
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1
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1
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43
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It was I or it is I (or both since it is just a matter of perspectives)
This confusion has been haunting me since I was fifteen. Please consider the following:
A. It was I who killed your mom.
B. It is I who killed your mom.
Question: As far as I know, we can apply two ...
- 304
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0
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23
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The present vs the past (when it comes to a range of possibilities covering dead and living people and if the answer is someone who has died)
Suppose there is a list of people who have been named as the candidates for being the best president ever. On the list are the incumbent and some ex-presidents, some of whom have died. How would we ...
- 304
2
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1
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325
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Should we always use the past if the person is no longer alive or when we refer to a past state
When I want to point out that the person is still regarded as the best student till now, tho they have been gone or they are not a student anymore, what tense should I use, the present or the past? ...
- 304
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0
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27
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"used to be" with a fact [duplicate]
In the situation where we have:
It used to be thought that...
We use the past tense with the verb that follows since it's something in the past.
But what if the following is meant to be a fact?
I ...
0
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1
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149
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After and Before Clauses
guys. I would like to ask whether a clause should always be in the past if it follows another clause starting with after in the past. For instance: After she read the note, she understands/understood ...
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1
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109
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The posted video is/was about something. Is or Was?
I've been attending online classes (recorded) on a daily basis and once the uploaded video wasn't on the topic as per the timetable. I texted my teacher a question similar to this:
Shouldn't today's ...
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2
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4k
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"If she didn't win" or "If she doesn't win"? [closed]
Which one is correct?
If she didn't win an award, I'll riot.
or
If she doesn't win an award, I'll riot.
Can someone explain what are the difference?
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3
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119
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Can you help with the difference in these past perfect tenses?
Example 1: 'Edison invented the light bulb. He had been working on it for years'.
Example 2: 'Edison invented the light bulb. It had taken him years'.
In example 1, the past perfect continuous makes ...
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0
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52
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An author 'teaches' or 'taught' us in his book
Some time ago I posted the following sentence on an online forum:
Adam Smith, in his "Wealth of Nations", taught us that...
Now I am wondering whether I should have used the word 'teaches' rather ...
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1
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1
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122
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Verb tense when comparing two different time frames in a sentence
I'm trying to contrast how I'm doing different things in two different times. My sentence is:
"Then and now I (am/was) doing different things."
Which form of "be" is correct in this case? Or are ...
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1
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1
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264
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How can I express in a sentence something that happened in the past but that has an impact on the present?
Given that English is not my first language, I was wondering how to express a verb that started and ended in the past but that has a repercussion in the present moment...
Is it correct to say “spent ...
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4
answers
193
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Which tense should be used for actions that terminate exactly at the present moment?
Which tense should I use for actions which terminate exactly at the present time and the final point of the action is also the present moment? Can present perfect be used for this type of situation?
...
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1
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2
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642
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Present tense of "unassigned"?
Why is there no present tense of unassigned? We have assign and assigned, so why is unassign not a proper word when we have unassigned?
- 115
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1
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66
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Grammar present perfect past perfect
This is kind of confusing for me. Would be happy to get the answer and find out the right way of using these constructions:)
Is this correct and if not how I can use present and past perfect in one ...
1
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0
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224
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A specific example about past tense in subordinate clause
I've read several posts about "main clause past tense, can I use simple present tense in the subordinate clause?" and I think I get the basic idea.
General truth can use present.
He didn't know ...
- 143
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0
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30
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Why do this book telling a story in the past but they use present tense? [duplicate]
I was reading a book "Call me by your name" and I was so confused by the tense they use in the book. It is obviously the story they tell happens in the past but they use present tense. I am trying to ...
- 51
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1
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745
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What's the difference between "you wasted" and "you've wasted" [duplicate]
I've got a question about this topic. So, about the context. I've just watched a video and in the end, the author said thank you as follows:
Thank you for all the time you wasted on this video.
I ...
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0
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2k
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"I saw him run" -- Why doesn't this require the past tense of "run"?
In a sentence like, "I saw him run," what is the rule that explains why "run" is in the present tense when "saw" is in the past tense? A similar construction, "She said he swam," requires past tense ...
- 111
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4
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5k
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Using "once upon a time" in a present tense sentence?
I work in a company that sells simple children's books. A customer complained that the book changes tense randomly, and they're right. This book was created years ago and needs updating to ensure it ...
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