Questions tagged [tense]
Tense is location in time by grammatical forms and constructions rather than by semantics.
2,367
questions
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1answer
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Is this lecture recorded or is this lecture being recorded?
During a zoom class one of my classmates asked the lecturer:
Is this lecture recorded?
I am wondering is this question grammatically correct?
or
Is this lecture being recorded?
What is the ...
0
votes
1answer
8 views
Can you correctly drop auxiliary verbs in writing?
While creatively writing, I found myself dropping an auxiliary verb (I believe?) in a description. The statement went: "He seemed to be a freak of nature, his mutilated feautures artificially ...
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0answers
27 views
“Something will have been/would be/would have been kept in 2000.”
When we want to say we have something kept in the past,which tense should we use?
Something will have been kept in 2000.
Something would be kept in 2000.
Something would have been kept in 2000.
0
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1answer
23 views
When to use to-be verb and when to not using to-be verb?
I'm still learning Part of Speech and some tenses, but in the basic, I got confused. Like this, "I work" and "I am Work" Why is the one using "am" and the other one is ...
2
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2answers
59 views
'I am inviting now' or 'I invite now'
1: I invite everyone present to the opening of the new superstore.
2: I'm inviting everyone to the opening of the new superstore.
Which of the above most accurately corresponds to...
3: I'm offering ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
“The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years.”
Can one say:
The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years.
By my understanding of English, this sentence does not compute.
Perhaps 'had been prepared' works,...
0
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1answer
33 views
Confusion with past perfect
Consider the following multiple-choice question:
Monica had dinner at home. She _______ dinner when she _______ home.
(a) ate, came
(b) had eaten, came
(c) had eaten, had come
(d) ate, had come
...
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0answers
22 views
“It's believed that he (has painted/painted) the portrait”
"The portrait is believed to have been painted by him"
I changed the sentence and made it like this:
"It's believed that he (has painted/painted) the portrait"
I'm not sure ...
0
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1answer
18 views
Correct use of tenses in an “in which” clause
In the following two sentences that I wrote:
After many years in which no progress was made, Tony found the first red stone. Since then, several other red stones have been found.
is it better to use ...
0
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2answers
22 views
Can I use the two kinds of tense in one sentence?
I wrote the sentence as follows.
āAfter this experience, I found that current methods only incorporate one type of information.ā
I want to ask that is the sentenceās grammar correct? I use āfoundā ...
0
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1answer
34 views
do we say “the balloon is popped” or “the balloon has been popped” or “the balloon was popped” according to the time that we utter it?
Now, your balloon was broken a few minutes ago.
do we say "the balloon is popped" or "the balloon has been popped" or "the balloon was popped" according to the time that ...
0
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1answer
12 views
Talking about future in Past
There is cue card section in IELTS where the test-taker has to speak at length about any given topic. While talking about future in past events I am confused what we have to say:
I told him that I am ...
0
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1answer
45 views
I've never thought vs I never thought
What are you doing here! I've never thought I would see you here.
What are you doing here! I never thought I would see you here.
Are they both correct?
2
votes
3answers
63 views
Why are things from the past talked about using past tense?
This is from Wikipedia:
Gilligan's Island is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show had an ensemble cast that featured Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie ...
0
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0answers
12 views
Are these sentences all mean the same thing? (word placement)
There are still people who keep denying its existence
Still there are people who keep denying its existence
There are people who still keep denying its existence
Are these sentences all mean the same ...
0
votes
2answers
24 views
“Grew up” vs “Would grow up”
She didn't love him, however she had to put up with him till the kids ......... a bit more.
a. grew up
b. would grow up
I think grammatically "b" is the correct choice here, nonetheless, ...
0
votes
1answer
14 views
A question about performatives
Some verbs used as performatives with the present simple in affirmative sentences have a similar meaning with either the present simple or the present continuous in negative sentences. Source
What is ...
0
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1answer
26 views
Will vs shall in interrogative sentences?
As a non-native English speaker I face difficulty in understanding about shall vs will in interrogative sentences. can you please suggest which one is correct?
1. will i do?
2. shall i do?
Why we use ...
0
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1answer
38 views
Subtle impatience with “would”?
In her work, Sabine forgot to check the validity of some figures.
Robert, one of her colleagues reviewing her work before approving it, wrote in his remarks: "Wouldn't we need to check the ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Can we use came for feature
The other day, me and my friend argued about something we both not sure if itās correct or not, he answered my phone call and spoke to my cousin, my cousin asked about me, āwhere is mouhanadā, my ...
6
votes
2answers
202 views
Meaning of the verb “read” in various tenses
Have you already read the book? Yes, I have already read the book.
Does it mean that the person have read the entire/whole book to the end? Or it is not necessary and generally depends on context?
...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
What's the difference between “will swim” and “going to swim”? [duplicate]
We will swim next Monday.
We are going to swim next Monday.
We will go swimming next Monday.
Which one is correct?
What's the difference between "will swim" and "going to swim"?
0
votes
1answer
17 views
“This post has/had interested me so much that I even took a screenshot.”
Which sentence is correct?
This post has interested me so much that I even took a screenshot.
OR
This post had interested me so much that I even took a screenshot.
Has or had?
0
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0answers
35 views
Past perfect tenses in compound and complex sentences
Consider the following sequence of events.
My smartphone starts behaving weirdly. On a Friday, I send an email describing the problem to the customer care of the manufacturer of my smartphone. The ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Is it ok to use “would” for future reference?
Is the below sentence correct:-
we would be using these spices from next time onwards.
Probably, would is used as past tense for will, but if the above sentence is correct, than why are we using it ...
0
votes
2answers
29 views
That was my father or that is my father?
Suppose you were talking to your friend, in a casual conversation.
Friend: Was that your father whom we saw yesterday at the school?
You: Yes, that was my father.
I'm quite confused whether to use &...
0
votes
1answer
17 views
present perfect preceding past simple (Over the past 3 days, it has rained a lot however it became sunny)
I have made up the example below.
(ex) Over the past three days, it has rained a lot; however, it became sunny this morning. Tonight, it's raining again.
In my example, I have the present perfect (has ...
0
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0answers
19 views
What is the difference between these two sentences has vs had
I was reading a story and I got confused about why the writer wrote:
She always goes to her art studio on Saturdays. But today she had stayed at home, waiting for me.
Instead of
She always goes to her ...
0
votes
2answers
39 views
Is it gramatically correct to ask “what were you doing this summer?”
I got asked few times on my English classes "what were you doing this summer?". And now I'm thinking of is it correct to ask that question like that? As I know Past Continuous is used to ...
0
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1answer
33 views
“I think/thought he is/was kind.”
I think he is kind.
I think he was kind.
I thought he is kind.
I thought he was kind.
Which do you usually use or not?
0
votes
1answer
35 views
āI have tested positiveā¦ā or āI have ābeenā tested positiveā¦ā?
I have tested positive for the COVID-19.
I have been tested positive for the COVID-19.
Which one is correct here?
1
vote
1answer
24 views
“The boys watched the fire grow bigger and bigger.”
The boys watched the fire grow bigger and bigger.
Why is 'watched' in past tense but grow in present tense?
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Can I use Future Perfect Continuous to describe actions that will be happening in the future for some period of time?
I've been reading about Future Continuous and Future Perfect Continuous tenses in an article (I'm not providing a link, because it's in Russian).
It says that I should use Future Continuos with ...
0
votes
1answer
10 views
(have gone, have heard, have felt, have been scared) vs (go, hear, feel, am scared)
I have made up the similar examples below.
(1) Over the past three days, I have not been able to sleep well. When I have gone to bed late at night, I have heard a spooky sound from the outside. Then, ...
0
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1answer
14 views
correct verb form of "to be''
I have made up the similar sentences below.
(1) I have shopped at ABC Supermarket before. Its merchandise is very well-organized and its staff is nice.
(2) I have shopped at ABC Supermarket before. ...
0
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1answer
27 views
Is there a semantical difference between āwhat do you studyā and āwhat are you studyingā?
What do you study at college?
What are you studying at college?
It seems to me that in 1 it can mean a generic YOU. Hence, 1 can mean "What does one study at college?"
In 2, it is more a ...
2
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1answer
41 views
eLearning writing: Beginning with āwhileā
I am aware that using While to begin a sentence brings in a dimension of time to it.
Could you please tell me if this sentence is grammatically correct?
Thank you.
0
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1answer
36 views
Is this sentence tense appropriate?
I am writing a short story where the speaker is extremely exhausted and yet is forced to sit through a class. I want to open with the following sentence:
My brain had officially shut down as soon as ...
0
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1answer
24 views
Mixed conditionals in a sentence
If I had won the lottery, I would be travelling the world.
OR
If I had won the lottery, I would have travelled the world.
Which one of these is correct?
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0answers
27 views
Is it correct to say “Does he say 'sink' in place of 'think'?”?
I saw a discussion below a youtube comment regarding the grammatical correctness of this question.
Find the comment here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvzbS7nlYX4&lc=UgzPb9XrJ-VcZLCjxs54AaABAg
...
0
votes
1answer
59 views
“have read and understand” or “have read and understood”
I came across this when I was surfing Stack overflow:
I have two questions here:
Is this "have read and understand" appropriate? Because in my opinion, "have read" means action ...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
use of two will's in the same sentence
I have made up the example below.
(1) I am very excited about next month. That will be the first time I will go skydiving.
Is it okay to use the future tense "will" twice in the second ...
0
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0answers
18 views
He continued vs he was continuing? [duplicate]
What is the difference between those two sentences? Is ''was continuing'' even correct?
Without her help, he continued the project slowly.
Without her help, he was continuing the project slowly.
Thank ...
0
votes
2answers
34 views
My car (has broken or broke) down, so I have to call a mechanic at once
My car (has broken or broke) down, so I have to call a mechanic at once.
Should I use the Present Perfect or the Past Simple in this situation? I think the Present Perfect is more suitable because ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
Verbs after “In case”
As a grammar hint, it is stated under the entry for "In case" within Longman Dictionary of Contemporary that we have to use simple present/past or should after in case, for example:
They ...
0
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1answer
15 views
Involve or Involved?
In this sentence, would I use the word "involve" or "involved", and what is a way to be able to tell which is the correct usage in a sentence?
There is a wide variety of careers ...
0
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1answer
22 views
how to use verb form (past tense or verb+ing) correctly?
I've been reading some books and been confused about the verb tense used in the sentences, for examples:
1: But I knew Leftyās dumb sense of humor. āNice try, Lefty,ā I said, and followed him through ...
0
votes
1answer
16 views
Can Present Perfect be used when I'm talking about “Actions that have been repeated many times up to now”
I'm repeating Present Perfect and trying to dig into it a bit more. I've been reading a blog about this tense, which says that one of the reason to use Present Perfect is when I'm talking about ...
0
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0answers
19 views
Grammar Past Tenses
Which one of the following is correct:
Have you remembered to bring home your football bag?
OR
Did you remember to bring home your football bag?
Many thanks.
1
vote
1answer
38 views
“He has a car but yesterday he ______ by cab”
Example: He has a car but yesterday he ______ by cab
Was leaving
Left
Could I use both options? And which one sounds better?
