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  1. I have seen that you sent me some pictures.

  2. I have seen that you have sent me some pictures.

  3. I saw that you have sent me some pictures.

  4. I saw that you sent me some pictures.

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    There's no significant difference except that in practice #2 in particular is awkwardly complex, and would rarely be uttered. Also, in the vast majority of contexts where you might use any of them, a native speaker would more likely just say I see you sent me some pictures. Commented Nov 3, 2020 at 16:24
  • Doesn't "I see" means that I am looking at it now. Well, it might not always be the case but it can be the case. I just wanted to make it clear that me seeing took place some time ago.
    – user1425
    Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 5:14
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    @FumbleFingersReinstateMonica Even I thought of the sentence you have suggested here. It is colloquial one. But that doesn't indicate past event. That is something happening now (present action). Hence I refrained from including that. Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 5:26
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    @DhanishthaGhosh In this context I see means something like I am aware, I have noticed - not necessarily that the speaker is currently looking at the pictures. Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 12:25

1 Answer 1

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I have seen that you sent me some pictures.

Means that the person has sent you pictures, and you are done looking at the activity of the pictures being sent (not looking at it anymore). The activity got over a little while ago.

I have seen that you have sent me some pictures.

Means that the person has sent you pictures at some indefinite point of time in the past, and you are done looking at the activity of the pictures being sent (not looking at it anymore). Both the activities got over a little while ago.

I saw that you have sent me some pictures.

Means the pictures sent by the person at some indefinite point of time has surely been seen by you. The activity of looking at the pictures being sent is over and done with. However the time of sending the photos is unknown.

I saw that you sent me some pictures.

Both the activities are done in the past and have finished in the past.


All the sentences are grammatically correct, and can be used depending on the context-of-speech. However, personally speaking, the second sentence is less common as compared to the rest. But it might just be me.

Also, as per @FumbleFinger's and @KateBunting's comments, native speakers do prefer saying the sentence like: I see you (have) sent me some pictures. As already said by Kate in a comment to your question, people would certainly catch upon the message that you are trying to convey if you consider using the sentence I wrote immediately above of this.

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  • I would say that none of them is very natural - see FumbleFingers' comment above. Commented Nov 3, 2020 at 17:50
  • @KateBunting I agree. They more or less mean the same. FumbleFinger's have written the same thing as the last statement in my answer. But if you are speaking with someone, I think they would hardly notice the subtle differences. I am thinking of deleting my answer. Commented Nov 3, 2020 at 17:54
  • Why not suggest a natural one, Kate?
    – user1425
    Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 5:13
  • Because FF has already done so! Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 8:40
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    Oh I see my mistake here. Thank you @FumbleFingersReinstateMonica. I thought I was presenting the meaning of the action of looking into the pictures. I completely forgot that is what the tense is all about. Will modify it ASAP. Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 18:10

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