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#2 (permalink) Wed Jan 07, 2009 0:22 am tenses in academic writing |
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. Generally, I would just choose one and try to stick to it, Joanie. The present perfect is used if the past activities are recent and/or relate strongly to the present. . _________________ Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's |
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Mister Micawber Language Coach

Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 7445 Location: Yokohama, Japan
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#3 (permalink) Wed Jan 07, 2009 2:25 am tenses in academic writing |
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In that situation, in my own experience, I have found that I save myself many headaches by choosing the past tense and sticking with that.
You can use the perfect tense in all sorts of strange ways to prove your mastery of the language. You can't go wrong by using only the past until the perfect is actually necessary. If I say he lived for 20 years, you might assume he died at age 20. If I say he has lived for 20 years or has been alive for 20 years, you would probably assume he is still alive. Either way, 20 years have gone by and living was done that entire time. |
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Nyc New Member
Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Nyc
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#4 (permalink) Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:24 am tenses in academic writing |
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| You can use the perfect tense in all sorts of strange ways to prove your mastery of the language. You can't go wrong by using only the past until the perfect is actually necessary. |
This is neither good advice for a learner nor good practice for a native speaker, Nyc. Though it may give you headaches if your fluency is limited, 'present perfect' is a common and ubiquitous verb form in both conversational and formal English, and its natural use should be encouraged. . _________________ Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's |
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Mister Micawber Language Coach

Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 7445 Location: Yokohama, Japan
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#5 (permalink) Wed Jan 07, 2009 20:51 pm tenses in academic writing |
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| thanks a lot! |
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Joaniecheng New Member
Joined: 06 Jan 2009 Posts: 3
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| await somebody vs await something | Present perfect simple vs. Present perfect continuous |