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Let's say there is a female adult. She used to have a slender body, but now she is a bit overweight. You are wondering what might be the reason for this, and then you have found out that her Facebook photos are full of different fatty food as she has become a careless foodie. And you say:
"So that's the reason why she gained some weight!"
Is this grammatical? In terms of the verb tense I have used? Should it be a past tense or simple present tense?
The first two examples uses the Present Perfect because the discovery is made in the present. PP is used when the results of a past action are felt in the present
That's why she's put on some weight
That's why she's gained weight
- …last night, fans are wondering if Taylor Swift has gained some weight — but honestly, who cares if she did!
The third example is using the Simple Past. The Simple Past is used for actions that are completed and the speaker knows (more or less) when it happened, the time needn't be expressed it can be implicit.
- Claire Sweeney looks like she's piled on the pounds this Christmas.
- Megan decided to make a change after she piled on the pounds during university. Her student life saw her indulging on junk food and ...
The last example, however, is quite disapproving and judgmental, it suggests that the person has become significantly heavier in a relatively short space of time. So by all means, utter this phrase in the privacy of your home, but avoid using it to your girlfriend's face (or significant other).
