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 #17 (permalink) Mon Jul 03, 2006 20:18 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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| luca wrote: |
here another example:
(i saw this in an american film)
a boy comes to a gilrl
she says him:have an happy valentines day with your girlfriend
he says her:no, actually i broke up with her
why do you think he used the simple past even if the time has consequences on the present because now his valentines day is ruined
is my thinking right or wrong.....what is the time you woulkd have used in this case  |
Hi Luca
Now I've got a question for you: What tense is the first sentence?
she says him:have an happy valentines day with your girlfriend
he says her:no, actually i broke up with her.
The first sentence sounds like a question with the words "Did you" left out (those two words are understood):
Q: "Did you have a happy Valentines Day with your girlfriend?"
That question is not only the simple past tense, but also specifically mentions the past time (Valentine's Day).
The answer then seems to indicate that he didn't have fun on Valentine's Day because on Valentine's Day he broke up with her. So, the only possible tense for the answer (in both British AND American English!) is the simple past tense
A: No, actually I broke up with her.
("No, I didn't have a happy Valentine's Day because we broke up on Valentine's Day.")
Amy |
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Yankee
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| #18 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:44 am Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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| i wanted to say that when the boy talks valentine's day isn't over. |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
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Posts: 27
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| #19 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:26 am Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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| luca wrote: |
| no valentines day in on course... |
Sorry, Luca. I don't understand what you want to say.
You can use my last post as an example of when you must use the simple past tense.
Amy |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
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| #20 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:19 am Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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| i wanted to say that when the boy talks, valentine's day isn't over. |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 27
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| #21 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 12:24 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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Hi Luca
Well, does the conversation take place on Valentine's Day, then? (For example in the evening of Valentine's Day?)
Or is Valentine's Day still in the future? Are you sure you've written the dialogue down 100% correctly?
And did you understand my last post?
Amy |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
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| #22 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 14:58 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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| valentine's day is in the future |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
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Posts: 27
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| #23 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 15:30 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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Hi Luca
Well, then, I'll have to say that your example doesn't seem to be a typical one and therefore it is not really explainable by anyone here. Maybe the only person who could explain that short conversation would be the person who wrote the script for the movie.
It would be pretty unusual for someone to wish you a nice day and then to answer by beginning with the word "No".
Sorry, I think you're just going to have to live with the general explanations we've given you and live without an explanation for that particular scene from a movie.
Amy |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
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| #24 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 17:56 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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but if i am talking to somebody and suddenly i say: "i broke up with my girlfriend" is right ,isn't it?
but i could use even the present perfect right? |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 27
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| #25 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 17:59 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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maybe what they meant to say is:
have a nice valentine's day with your girlfriend.
no i won't, i broke up with my girl friend |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 27
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| #26 (permalink) Tue Jul 04, 2006 18:02 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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| but who wrote "i'm new here and i like it?" i didn't do it |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 27
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| #27 (permalink) Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:44 am Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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.
It's programmed, Luca-- all newcomers display the same message at a certain post count. After you have posted a few more times, it will change to 'You can meet me at English-test.net' or 'I'm here quite often'.
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| #28 (permalink) Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:33 am Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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and how about the dialogue?
could somebody explain something else?[/i] |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 27
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| #29 (permalink) Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:59 am Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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I think we have all explained about as much as we can about this dialogue, Luca. How about starting a new thread with a new topic or question that interests you?
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Mister Micawber
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| #30 (permalink) Wed Jul 05, 2006 19:52 pm Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender' |
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| one thing i am interested to is knowing the time you would have used in that case... |
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Luca
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 27
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| The meaning of: Am I in the way? | Meaning of the word "ultramundane" |
