Questions tagged [tense]

This tag is for questions about tense, or location in time by grammatical forms and constructions rather than by semantics.

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Why does Ash say "I choose you" instead of "I chose you" or "I'll choose you"?

In the Pokémon anime, Ash says "I choose you!" when he starts a battle. Why does he use the present tense instead of "I chose you" or "I'll choose you"? In the original ...
kuwabara's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
39 views

I am happy now after I heard the news. - mixing tenses - is this correct?

If I heard the news in the past and the state of being happy is in the present, can I write it like Example 1 or Example 2? Example 1 I am happy now after hearing the news. Example 2 I am happy now ...
vincentlin's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
10 views

It___ (rain) everyday so far this week . Choose correct form of verb [closed]

I can't understand which form of verb should be used with everyday so far this week..so plz help out
Abbas Aly's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
24 views

past and present tense confusion: recounting a past event, of which something is still relevant in the present

The mix in use of Past and Present tense confuses me. An excerpt from a complaint to an online shopping platform: … Upon receiving my Bluetooth mouse, I discovered that the product was a counterfeit. ...
Elle Yong's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
22 views

I left a note on the table two days ago so that he "would/will" eat the food I prepared for him - which is correct?

I left the note two days ago, and he is going to come back two days from now. So, the action is going of him eating my food is in the future. What tense should I use? Which example is correct? Example ...
vincentlin's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
672 views

It was the best ever vs it is the best ever?

What is the meaning of ‘It was the best ever?’ Is it different to ‘It is the best ever?’ I am just confused by simple past and it last ever. ( It was the best ever)
monique Yeung's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
14 views

I wish he would come. vs. I wished he would come

I wish he would come. Does this sentence imply there is still a chance to come for him? I wished he would come. Does this sentence imply he didn't come in the past? The only difference is wish vs. ...
gomadeng's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
19 views

He asks if I would help. He asks if I will help

He asks if I would help. He asks if I will help. Is there any difference between the two sentences? My dictionary says 'would' is another version of expressing the reinforced willingness of someone'...
gomadeng's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
22 views

I was honored to be mentioned by such a wonderful boxer. (vs. to have been mentioned)

I was honored to be mentioned by such a wonderful boxer. I was honored to have been mentioned by such a wonderful boxer. Which one is more grammatical or idiomatic expression? Or both of them are ...
gomadeng's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
31 views

Betraying her boyfriend "was/is" what she did - what is the difference?

Example 1 Betraying her boyfriend is what she did. Example 2 Betraying her boyfriend was what she did. What is the difference in meaning?
vincentlin's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Past perfect tense without following events

I am learning English and I have got a question about past perfect tense. In textbooks it is said that this tense is used to describe a sequence of events, to emphasise that one event happened before ...
Andrey Khrenov's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
19 views

He didn't know that Chatgpt "can" write an article - If the statement is a true thing it doesn't have to be shifted back to past tense?

‎Example 1 He didn't know that Chatgpt "can/could" write an article. Example 2 He didn't think that Chatgpt "can/could" write an article. Are both of them correct English? because ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
0 votes
1 answer
26 views

"And now you will/would say that..."

I was wondering if the first sentence below is an abuse of grammar or if it is, unwittingly, better grammar than the second sentence. The sentences are 1: And now you will say that they are going to ...
Gaurav Tiwari's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
13 views

The government has declared/declared a state of emergency. (present perfect vs. past)

The government has declared a state of emergency. The government declared a state of emergency. Is there any difference between the two sentences?
gomadeng's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
18 views

I "just" watched the movie last week. - can just be used with a time verb like yesterday, last week, etc.?

Example 1 I just watched the movie last week. Example 2 I recently watched the movie last week. I know just and recently can be used with verbs in simple past, but can they be used with a time ...
vincentlin's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
31 views

Yesterday I exercised so hard that my muscles "are/were" twitching right now - which to use? are or were?

I did exercises hard yesterday. Right now, my muscles are twitching. Example 1 Yesterday I exercised so hard that my muscles are twitching right now Example 2 Yesterday I exercised so hard that my ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
1 vote
1 answer
44 views

AmE_ thank you + simple past or present perfect

Context: I am a new student of a class. There is a friend, she has always helped me since I joined the class. Now I am still in the same class with her. I feel grateful and just want to say thank you ...
LE HANH's user avatar
  • 305
0 votes
0 answers
18 views

will be doing vs will, be going to

I often hear the announcement on a train say "We will soon be arriving at XX station." I understand the meaning of will, be going to, and will be doing. However, I wonder why the ...
kuwabara's user avatar
  • 1,226
0 votes
1 answer
20 views

what is the difference between the past progressive form and simple past form in this sentence?

What is the difference between the past progressive form and simple past form in this sentence? He purchased it at ten times the price the owner was asking and carefully hid it in his house. If I ...
Joy Kim's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
32 views

She sells drugs "and" murdered a guy. - can you use a coordinating conjunction to joint verb phrases regardless of their tense structures?

Example 1 She sells drugs and murdered a guy. Example 2 She murdered a guy and sells drugs. Example 3 She murdered a guy or sells drugs. I wonder if you can use a coordinating conjunction to ...
vincentlin's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
38 views

AmE_ she (went out)/ (has gone out) to the supermarket

I know that AmE speakers tend to use the simple past in situations in which we should use the present perfect. I would like to ask if in the US, natives would use simple past in this context: A ...
LE HANH's user avatar
  • 305
0 votes
0 answers
22 views

Reported speech within conditionals - to backshift or not?

I might be very wrong in what I'm about to ask, so sorry in advance. Imagine someone says to you: I like cats. Now you want to report what they said to some other guy/gal but with an added twist - ...
August99's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
18 views

The fact that she "would/will" come to see me on Friday bothered me. - "the fact that..." follows the rule of sequence of tense?

Assume the time of speaking is on Wednesday and the time of action of bothering happened way back, last week. Example 1 The fact that she would come to see me on Friday bothered me. Example 2 The ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
0 votes
1 answer
25 views

The PE teacher made Tom run laps so hard that he was/is lying on the ground. - Tom is lying right now; which to use?

Right now, Tom is lying on the ground. Example 1 The PE teacher made Tom run laps so hard that he is lying on the ground. Example 2 The PE teacher made Tom run laps so hard that he was lying on the ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
0 votes
0 answers
24 views

How to express "since X" for an event that ended in the past?

She has been the CEO since 2000 A question on ELU explores the matter of present vs. past tense in the context of the usage of "since". The conclusions that it is much better to use the ...
WoJ's user avatar
  • 675
3 votes
1 answer
69 views

Seemed vs seems

Before A.D.900, manuscripts of the Koran (the book containing the teachings of the Islamic religion) seem to have been the most common type of book produced and decorated, but after that date a wide ...
ForOU's user avatar
  • 1,069
1 vote
1 answer
41 views

Freeze up or Froze up

Which one is correct sentence? I'd had the bladder and drinking hose "freeze up" in races before. I'd had the bladder and drinking hose "froze up" in races before.
Rocky's user avatar
  • 507
0 votes
2 answers
42 views

Meaning of the present perfect

I have visited Paris 2 times. It is a beautiful country. I think you should visit it once in your life. I know that the simple past is also correct as answer in this thread link. But, In this post, I ...
LE HANH's user avatar
  • 305
0 votes
2 answers
915 views

What tenses is "I have a few questions"?

I have a few questions regarding the S22 ultra. have is perfect tense, my question is in this sentence which is the verb? Because have in this sentence indicates he has a question when he informs it, ...
Nadya's user avatar
  • 15
0 votes
2 answers
16 views

Be or have question

If I want to write this statement in future perfect tense, will this statement be correct? We will have been dead by then. Or should it be We will be dead by then. In the second sentence we can't use '...
Lemon's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
2 answers
51 views

A sentence with that: grammatical?

"Tom talked about the phenomenon that youngsters like going shopping nowadays has sparked off a debate." Is this sentence grammatically correct? First, I would like to know whether that can ...
hellokitty's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
38 views

Past tense for future actions?

I have come across the following sentence by a native speaker: In addition to simply answering my questions, it would be great if you could also provide the source code that you used to answer those ...
H D's user avatar
  • 373
0 votes
1 answer
23 views

How to use "be : was or were " for as if/as though ( the unreal information in the present)

For As if/As though, if the sentence expresses the information which is unreal in the present, we use "past subjunctive" and to be : were for all the subjects? Is it correct or incorrect? ...
Phu Hoang's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
41 views

I "was eating food" and "scrolling my phone", and I found that the teacher was calling me - past continuous to provide the background info?

Can we use continuous tense to provide some background information before we talk about other things? Example 1 A: What happened? B: I was watching a movie, and my mom called me, and my brother also ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
-1 votes
1 answer
29 views

Difference between "If i see it,i will tell you." and "If i saw it, i would tell you."

Is "If I see it, I will tell you." the declarative mood, and "If I saw it, I would tell you." the subjunctive mood? Dose "I see" show more probability of seeing it than &...
Wingled Tiger's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
48 views

Is "I am given" wrong in this sentence?

I am given by Jesus Christ forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Is "I am given" wrong in this sentence? Could you please also explain why it is wrong? What is the difference between that ...
alex1923's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
40 views

A stupid guy has thrown/threw trash here! - do they use the past tense or the present perfect tense when they don't know when the thing happened?

Example 1 A: A stupid guy threw trash here! B: When did it happen? Example 2 A: A stupid guy has thrown trash here! B: When did it happen? When the speaker does not know when an event happened, ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
1 vote
1 answer
33 views

Tense: shapes vs has shaped

A native speaker told me to use "shapes". X: History has little to tell us. Y: I disagree because it is what has happened in the past that shapes the world we live in today. But my ...
newbie forever's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
27 views

I've been wasting or I've wasted?

Which tense is used in this sentence? Oh no! This is the wrong paint! I _____________ a lot of time. Now I have to paint all the walls again! A. Have been wasting B. Have wasted What's the right ...
Pumpkin cake's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
46 views

The possibility of using perfect tenses in complex sentenses referring to the sphere of the past that play themselves the role of the direct object

The usage of the present perfect tenses with the markers of past time has been noticed in as much as 20% of BE colloquial speech. But it is still difficult for the non-native speakers to discern ...
Eugene's user avatar
  • 298
2 votes
1 answer
29 views

Talking about a past habit in a story narration

I was watching a comedy show; the comedian was talking about going on a trip with his dad and he said "I was sharing a hotel room with my dad. I knew he snored.". Is it right to use simple ...
s.s's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
1 answer
32 views

Sequence of verbs: present perfect after past simple

For a while I have been using this table of sequences of verbs as a reference. Today I found this sentence, which doesn't correspond to either of the rules form the table: You didn't answer the ...
blablaalb's user avatar
  • 103
0 votes
0 answers
26 views

Tenses: which one is correct

Which is correct: I have been to Australia 2 times in 5 years. I went to Australia 2 times in 5 years.
Faith's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
1 answer
19 views

verb tense: Present Perfect vs Simple Past

Of course, I don't think you broke the window. The thought never even ....... my mind. crossed has crossed Which one is correct? Are both possible here?
Mohamad Mohseni Ahuii's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
108 views

We played table tennis yesterday. Oftentimes, when I smashed the ball to him, he "would/used to" return the ball by touching the ball - correct?

Example 1 (1) We played table tennis yesterday. Oftentimes, when I smashed the ball to him, he would/used to return the ball by touching the ball. (2) We played table tennis yesterday. Oftentimes, ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
-1 votes
1 answer
35 views

Tense in the subordinate clause when the main clause in the present perfect tense

Which tense should I use in the subordinate clause when the main clause in the present perfect tense. I'm thinking about this particular scenario: "I've seen a great nation fell." versus &...
Uneau's user avatar
  • 1
3 votes
2 answers
56 views

Difference between "have been doing", "was doing" and "have done"

What's the difference between the following: (1) I have been playing tennis for 5 years. (2) I was playing tennis for 5 years. (3) I have played tennis for 5 years. I'm trying to understand the use ...
Katherine's user avatar
  • 131
0 votes
0 answers
20 views

"From time to time, I do my homework, and I will get distracted by my phone." - does this tell something that keeps happening?

Example 1 (1) "From time to time, I came home from work, and I would see my brother watching a movie." (2) "From time to time, whenever I came home from work, I would see my brother ...
vincentlin's user avatar
  • 1,517
1 vote
1 answer
22 views

What <did you do><were you doing> yesterday between 8 and 9 p.m.?

Dialog 1 Mary: What did you do yesterday between 8 and 9 p.m.? Susan: I studied French. Dialog 2 Judy: What were you doing yesterday between 8 and 9 p.m.? Nancy: I was studying French. [Question] ...
Kaguyahime's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
29 views

The book I read yesterday <is><was> this one

(1) Mary said to Susan, "The book I read yesterday is this one." (2) Mary said to Susan, "The book I read yesterday was this one." [Question] Which is correct if Mary is holding ...
Kaguyahime's user avatar

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