1

There is a restaurant where you always ordered Caesar salad before. But one day you decide to have something else. When the waitress asks you if you want Caesar salad again before you say anything, which sentence is the most acceptable as a reply?

I know I ordered Caesar salad every time, but today I want something else.

I know I have ordered Caesar salad every time, but today I want something else.

I know I order Caesar salad every time, but today I want something else.

Improve this question
1
  • 3
    They're all syntactically valid, but the last one is the most "natural". Note that actually, none of your exact alternatives are very likely compared to I [always / usually] order Caesar salad, but today... (don't bother with the Perfect at all) OR I've always ordered Caesar salad before, but today... (where some people might say the Perfect adds "emphasis" to the reference to the past, in which case arguably it works better with always than usually).
    – FumbleFingers
    Oct 20, 2021 at 11:15

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

The best variant is probably:

"I usually order Caesar salad, but today I'd like to try something else."

Yes, you could preface that with "I know (that)..." if you prefer.

Examining the original proposed sentences, number 3 is the most natural, using the present tense. The next choice is present perfect "I've always ordered, but...". Finally, the past tense (simply the word "ordered") doesn't fit well, because you are in the restaurant at the moment, and you are still placing orders, so the action is not strictly past tense, it's also connected to the present (which is what Present Perfect communicates).

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .