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I was working out an online Enlish test, and came up into this question:

I'll get in touch with you as soon as I _____ the results.

Your Answer: am informed to

Correct: have been informed of

The event of "informing" is happening in the future (unknown time), I know that simple present is inaccurate, but how the present perfect tense can be used in this context?

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    Who says you can not use simple present after as soon as? You can use both simple present and present perfect.
    – helen
    Commented Sep 1, 2018 at 12:04
  • so both are correct?
    – mshwf
    Commented Sep 1, 2018 at 12:06
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    Your answer is acceptable except that ‘informed’ should always be used with ‘of’ or ‘that’ (not in this situation though) and not ‘to’.
    – danielloid
    Commented Sep 1, 2018 at 12:24

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You can use both simple present and present perfect. The meaning is almost the same. However, using present perfect sounds better in this sentence.

Using present perfect means you will get in touch with him/her once you are completely informed (you have complete information about results), and using simple present means you will get in touch with him/her whenever you have a piece (or pieces) of information about results (maybe you are not completely informed and you may provide a rapid response).

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  • But why ignoring the fact that this is a future event? is there examples of using both tenses in a future sentence, where they fit the context?
    – mshwf
    Commented Sep 1, 2018 at 13:16
  • I know (by common sense) that using 'will' out the alike is not correct.
    – mshwf
    Commented Sep 1, 2018 at 13:19
  • According to “The Cambridge Grammar Of the English Language”: “Time- adjuncts and the complements of temporal prepositions such as: as soon as, etc., take the simple present, not the will- construction, when the reference is to future time." It's somehow like using "will" in an if-clause. We are not allowed to use will in an if clause, but there are exceptions to the rule. OK, I will find examples from valid references for you.
    – helen
    Commented Sep 1, 2018 at 13:37
  • Take a look at this example from "The Free Dictionary": As soon as we get the tickets we'll send them to you. or this one from "English Grammar in Use" p. 50: You'll feel better after you've had something to eat.
    – helen
    Commented Sep 1, 2018 at 13:47

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