Questions tagged [tense]
Tense is location in time by grammatical forms and constructions rather than by semantics.
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questions
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You tried od You did try
what is the difference between ,,You tried," and ,,You did try"?
I have always used ,,tried", but then I heard ,,did try" in some film.
I have tried to find something about it, but I am still not sure....
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0answers
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Is the participle tense time-neutral?
Is the participle tense time-neutral? I am wondering if it's the case, because these two seem to be grammatically correct.
She won the competition after having sung the national Anthem during
the ...
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0answers
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How to politely tell your senior that what they told is wrong?
How to politely tell someone whatever they told is not correct according to me?
Is it okay to say "let me know if I am wrong?" after explaining them about that concept?
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1answer
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Usage of 'yesterday' in Present Perfect - is it grammatically correct?
Is it correct to say (1a):
Mary has not phoned since yesterday.
Or should it be rather said (1b):
Mary has not phoned since the day before.
Similarly (2a):
They haven't returned since ...
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1answer
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Past Simple with Present Continuous in one sentence
I've got a question related to tenses.
I am watching a sad movie that is making me cry and my friend is sending me a text message making me smile. I want to tell him about it so is this sentence okay?...
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1answer
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What is the tense used here?
I thought you would have eaten by now.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . (OR)
I thought you would have ate by now.
Which is correct?
What is the tense used here?
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0answers
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Tense of “won't know something until do something”
I read this,
We won’t know if it’s a true antidote until they’ve had a chance to
study it.
But I find other examples are more tend to present tense,
You won't know until you try.
Why?
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2answers
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Tense after “at the time of this writing”
Suppose someone is writing a recommendation letter.
At the time of this writing, he is/was doing another independent research project in applied mathematics.
Which tense should I use here?
From ...
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What tense should we use to talk about a general thing in a adverbial clause (real examples provided)
This question is:
When we talk about a general thing and the event in the adverbial clause
happens eariler, what tense should we use?
This question is related to my last post.
(When we talk about ...
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1answer
17 views
When I return or when I'm returning?
Should I say "When I return from vacation, I ..." or "When I'm returning from vacation, I..." if I want to emphasize that the act of returning (and what follows) is something that happens regularly (e....
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1answer
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When we talk about a general thing and the event in the adverbial clause happens earlier, what tense should we use?
When we talk about a general thing and the event in the adverbial clause happens earlier, what tense should we use?
Please help explain a bit, thank you.
Example 1
I usually don't feel ...
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2answers
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Have got or have?
I know how does it work when we are talking about past simple and present perfect, but how it works with present simple vs present perfect ?
Like have got or have ?
for example:
I have got a car ...
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0answers
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Differences between will, would, and would have
I can differentiate which would be used in sentences, but I can't quite pinpoint the difference between these. So I went online and tried a quiz from the British Council and I can't quite figure out ...
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1answer
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“They had read, but none replied” or “they have read, but none replied”?
They had read, but none replied.
They have read, but none replied.
Which one is correct?
Note: This originally had the second sentence be "they have read, but none replies."
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1answer
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When the action in a noun clause happens in the future, which tense should I use in the noun clause?
When the action in a noun clause happens in the future, which tense should I use in the noun clause?
Are the tenses different in meaning if they are all grammatically correct when used in the clause?...
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0answers
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Correct tense with reported speech?
From a multiple choice question in my English assignment:
He will probably want to know if you
A. will have been drinking
B. didn't drink
C. had drunk
D. have been drinking
I heard ...
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votes
1answer
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Should use present perfect tense or the past tense for this sentence
My father gave me \ has given me my name.
Well the action "giving my name" happened and finished in the past, but my name has never been changed since that time so the action still affects on the ...
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1answer
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He prepared for school like he always does (or did?)
I think that the following sentence is grammatically incorrect:
He prepared for school like he always does.
Should it be more grammatical to say:
He prepared for school like he always did.
The ...
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1answer
27 views
Should I use “have been”, “has been” or “being” in this case?
The project requires more people than being put in because it is extremely difficult.
The project requires more people than has been put in because it is extremely difficult.
The project ...
0
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1answer
17 views
'Are never' or 'Will never'
Browse our dictionary apps today and ensure you are never again lost
for words.
As a new learner of English,I didn't understand it well. Instead to use "You are never again' in the above sentence,...
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1answer
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Why is it “had to” in “she had to get a new hip”?
I saw this in a TV series (Modern Family), and I really can't understand why it's "had to" here, subjunctive maybe? so here's the context:
Wife: I usually wear nothing when I'm in a hot tub.
...
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Mixing tenses to tell times of things happening in an imaginary situation
I am wondering whether I can mix up tenses when I talk about an imaginary situation to tell the listener which thing happens earlier and which happens later.
Down below is an example:
I meet ...
3
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1answer
36 views
Problem to use Past Perfect tense (Had met / met)
Sentence:
It was the first time I had met/met her.
Which tense form should be used, had met or met?
I have come across this sentence only, not from any specific context.
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1answer
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Tense of the word
The manager ____(feel) the need to ___(train) his team on e-mail etiquette since last may.
Will it be felt or feels?.. and why?
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0answers
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Alternating between the past and the present perfect
I have a question about the use of the simple past and the present perfect in the same sentence. I heard a native saying the following:
"So far, I’ve sat for three exams, but I didn’t do well on ...
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0answers
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Tense after 'still'
Jack stopped being a lad for a long time ago, it was amusing to see someone still try to mother him.
Above is an example sentence I made.
Previously, I wrote 'tried' instead of 'try', but I got a ...
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votes
1answer
16 views
“Than need be” vs “than they need to be”
I am not sure, but I don't think they're equivalent. However, I have no idea when you would use the first one, would you use the first one if you are talking about something general that's not related ...
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vote
2answers
69 views
Grammar after word 'making'
She shifted in her chair, making it creak
Why it is wrong to use past tense after making (i.e., making it creaked)?
Because 'shifted' is past tense, I wonder why I can't use past tense after 'making'...
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1answer
36 views
“I hadn’t paid much attention to it before, but now I see it’s a small bird in flight” — why “hadn't”?
From The Hunger Games:
My next guest is also unexpected. Madge walks straight to me. She is not weepy or evasive, instead there’s an urgency about her tone that surprises me. “They let you wear one ...
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0answers
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Question about the tense of “until …” in a object clause
Quite confused about it. Here is a sentence:
I was wondering if you could lend me a few dollars until I get paid on Friday.
Why is got or would get improper here?
Compared with:
I said I would go ...
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0answers
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She's been picky or She's picky
How do I say
"She's so picky after Mark stole her purse"
or
" She's been so picky since Mark stole her purse"
1
vote
1answer
21 views
“to stay focus” or “to stay focused” which of the phrases is correct?
I am a little confused on which is correct. Is it right use "to stay focused, we ..." or say "to stay focus, we...."
Please I need clarifications on the uses of the two 2 phrases mentioned above.
0
votes
1answer
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Is mixing future and past tense in this sentence correct?
'It will take a while to locate a paperwork for 2 years ago'
I think this sentence sounds weird, future tense and past tense are mixed. Is this sentence correct?
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0answers
33 views
Do I have to use the past continuous or the past perfect?
I’m working on mixed tenses exercises, and this sentence has confused me! I’d like to know whether my answer is correct or not please. This is the sentence:
“For the first eight years, she worked ...
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0answers
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Tense agreement with “the first time/case/person/etc.”
I've been taught in school that the proper time agreement in English is to use Present Perfect or at least Past Simple after "the first time/case/person/etc.", "the second time/case/person/etc.", "the ...
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Sentence correction,usage of the present perfect
Is it right to say like this in present perfect?
It has not been a decision, I have forgotten.
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vote
1answer
28 views
Why is it “excite” instead of “excited” in this sentence?
Please look at this sentence from "The God of small things" written by Arundhati Roy.
The news didn't perturb him as much as excite his curiosity.
Shouldn't it be excited his curiosity?
I'm ...
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2answers
25 views
Why is present tense uses rather than past tense in this essay?
Grandpa liked chewing tobacco, and he carried a Styrofoam cup with him wherever he went. I remember him spitting in that cup with great regularity when I used to spend the night with him and ...
1
vote
1answer
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Is “to have been working” a correct form?
Can I say “I appreciate the opportunity to have been working with you”? My friend is leaving a job and wants to write a note to a colleague.
0
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1answer
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Usage of verb Would
I am wondering why is "would" used In this sentence.
When she was younger she 'would' shrink away from me whenever I spoke to her.
Is using simple past without "would" grammatically wrong, or does ...
0
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0answers
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Would have in hypothetical situation when talking about past
If I am talking about the yesterday's match and I am assuming a hypothetical situation, what should I say:
1.If I was/were/had been the captain of England cricket I would have chosen to bat after ...
0
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1answer
21 views
It's not the first time + someone do something
I read this,
It’s not the first time Biden has voiced this
Trump-is-terrible-but-Republicans-are-OK sentiment.
And I find this sentence structure almost always is that "... not the first time" ...
2
votes
2answers
35 views
Should you use a plain/continuous verb after a past continuous one? E.g. 'I was feeling the fear rise/rising up…'
As an example to illustrate my question:
I was feeling the fear rise up, trying to stop me, when...
I was feeling the fear rising up, trying to stop me, when...
I'm not sure what this type of ...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
Is it really wrong to say, “I lived here for two years”?
I just read a very interesting point in the book Ready for FCE. The question was about the difference between I lived here for two years, and I had been living here for two years. Apparently, when you ...
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1answer
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How to choose a tense for the verb “be back”?
Good day!
How to choose a tense for the verb "be back"? By what rule?
(1) He has been busy since he has been back.
(2) He has been busy since he was back.
(3) He has been busy since he got back / ...
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0answers
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Present perfect or simple past
Which of the following is correct?
It has been two hours since I have left LA.
It has been two hours since I left LA.
I know everyone will pick 2 but why one is 1 is not correct as we use ...
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2answers
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Why is my answer wrong?
(First of all,this is grammar question.)
İn the 1970s scientists found out that chemicals_____ into the atmosphere______the ozone layer.
A)having been released /destroyed (which is picked)
B)...
1
vote
1answer
26 views
Adverbs after the verb “BE” in “he has and STILL IS”?
In my grammar book, I saw this:
He has been looking everywhere for you, and he still is.
Why does 'is' stand after an adverb?
I thought that there was a rule that we have to put adverbs ...
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votes
1answer
37 views
What shouldn't (have) happen(ed)
When something bad happens to you that you could expect it to happen, but did not wish that happen, you would probably say:
1) Finally, that shouldn't have happened, happened.
2) Finally, that ...
0
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2answers
31 views
Why present perfect tense\past tense is used in these sentences?
I used this link to practice on present perfect tense, and I have some questions:
Colin has left / left for Brazil this morning.
The correct answer is "left"; however, I think both answers are ...
