Phrase 'the court has appointed me your public defender'

[Yankee]

[Luca]

here i got another example:
two friends are doing a travel, one is at an hotel while the other is parking the car but his car brakes down...whe he returns to the hotel how do he have to say to his friend that his car is broken?
i have broken down(have this an effect on the present?they can't continue that journey)
or
i broke down
can i use both of them?

[Yankee]

Hi Luca

In your example I can imagine either
The car broke down.
- OR -
The car has broken down.

It would depend mainly on how you (the speaker) are looking at the situation. For example:

The car broke down (while I was parking it).
- OR -
The car has broken down. (Now what are we going to do?)

I personally would probably use the simple past tense.

What about my question :?:

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Alan]

Hi Luca,

I have written a short piece using the two tenses Past Simple and Present perfect Simple, which may help:

TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

A Have you heard about my accident?
B No, what happened?
A I crashed my car into a tree. As a result I’ve taken my car into a garage
B Oh dear, I hope you haven’t hurt yourself.
A I broke my wrist but apart from that I suppose I have been very lucky.
B Did you do a lot of damage to the car?
A The garage have looked at it and say it can be repaired..
B How did you manage to crash the car in the first place?
A No, I haven’t told you that, have I? Well the answer is I skidded on the corner of George St near the supermarket.
B I know that bit. I have driven there loads of times and once I too lost control of the car but didn’t hit anything.
A Anyhow I rang really to say that I can’t make it tonight.
B I understand. I’m really sorry you’ve injured yourself. It was fortunate I suppose that you have survived the accident. Take care

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Luca]

i used it why it is a fact happened in the past....why is it wrong? did i have to use the present perfect?

[Yankee]

.
No, Luca, it's not wrong. You saw something simply as a finished event in the past and reacted accordingly. Right? There is nothing wrong with that.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Luca]

could i use even the present perfect there?

[Yankee]

Hi Luca

Theoretically speaking, you also could have said
"But who has written "I'm new here and i like it?" because it was the very firt time you noticed that it was there.

But I probably would have asked the question the same way you did (in the simple past tense).

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Luca]

another question:if starting a dialogue i say to the listener that knows nothing about what i am going to say him and what happened before:"the court appointed me your public defender" would you consider it wrong?

[Yankee]

It's not really wrong, Luca, but I think particularly that sentence would be better in the present perfect. In that sentence it's pretty clear there will be a direct effect on the present and the idea of exactly when the appointment happened is probably completely irrelevant.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Luca]

and if i say in the same context i say:"i bought a new car" or "i gave him my bike" is better using the simple past?why?

[Yankee]

Hi Luca,

How do you see the context of "I bought a new car" and "I gave him my bike" as being the same as "The court has appointed me your public defender"?

Have you read Alan's last post? Do you understand it?

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Luca]

YES I MEAN IN THE SAME CONTEXT OF: THE COURT HAS APPOINTED ME YOUR PUBLIC DEFENDER

[Yankee]

Hi Luca

There is no need to SHOUT. :shock:

I wanted to know why you think the "public defender" sentence could be the same kind of context as the other two sentences. My opinion is that you can't really compare them. The contexts would always be very different.

Luca, we've been discussing this issue for a long time. In earlier threads, then in PMs and now in this thread. I've also already described what I see as the difference between the "public defender" sentence and other sentences you've given as examples. It's become clear to me that I am not able to help you understand.

Maybe one of the other moderators will be able to think of some additional explanations. I just can't think of anything more to tell you that hasn't already been said. Sorry.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Luca]

please could you repeat why you consider the contexts different? :lol:
is maybe why if i say "she gave me the cd "
it hasn't effects on the present for the listener/s