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 Thu May 08, 2008 11:10 am Present perfect: past or present? |
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I myself always associate the present perfect with the present.
I have gained a lot of experience
I have found the key
In all of them I'm describing something I have right now, at the moment of speaking! |
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lost_soul
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Ralf
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| Thu May 08, 2008 11:44 am Present perfect: past or present? |
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Hi, Ralf
If you're asking me, then no, I've never visited that town. |
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lost_soul
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Ralf
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| Thu May 08, 2008 13:31 pm Present perfect: past or present? |
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| Ralf wrote: | Thanks, Alex. I'm going tomorrow. Just curious  |
Would you, personally, classify the present perfect as a past tense or would you label it as a present tense? |
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Molly
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| Thu May 08, 2008 16:59 pm Present perfect: past or present? |
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In all of them I'm describing something I have right now, at the moment of speaking!
So do you see the "have" as possessive in some way? |
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Molly
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| Thu May 08, 2008 19:38 pm Present perfect: past or present? |
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The present perfect describes an apect of time that has a very strong relation/connection to the moment you use it; the present tense. Even if you refer to something in the past as in "I've just seen him there, but know he seems to be gone", the present perfect bases its claim on the speaker's impression he still feels at the moment of the actual speech act.
Another example for this aspect would be "I've just eaten, but now I'm stuffed"
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Ralf
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| Thu May 08, 2008 22:38 pm Present perfect: past or present? |
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| Quote: | | "I've just seen him there, but know he seems to be gone". |
What function does "know" have there? |
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Molly
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Ralf
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| Fri May 09, 2008 13:09 pm Present perfect: past or present? |
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| Ralf wrote: | | The typo function, Molly. |
| Quote: | | "I've just seen him there, but know he seems to be gone", the present perfect bases its claim on the speaker's impression he still feels at the moment of the actual speech act." |
I see. And what would be the difference, in the mind, the feeling, of the speaker, if he chose this way of expressing things?
"I just saw him there, but now he seems to be gone". |
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Molly
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| Fri May 09, 2008 20:06 pm Present perfect: past or present? |
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He'd be American, so I don't think his feelings would differ.
Feel free not to use the present perfect, I understand!
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| Fri May 09, 2008 21:29 pm Present perfect: past or present? |
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| I don't think ""I just saw him there, but now he seems to be gone" is particulary American, Brits also use it. |
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Molly
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| Subject and verb agreement | Is 'let me know once done' OK? |
