Grammar-Quizzes › Verb Phrases › Verbs › Past › Reporting Source
PAST – SOURCE / INFORMATION | |
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We use past tense to focus on who, what, where, why, how or the origin of something. The activity is the focus and not its timing or duration (aspect). |
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ASK SOURCE WH? | PAST TENSE |
Where did you get those jeans? |
I got them at the Gap. |
Where did you go? |
I went shopping. (seeking information) |
What did you buy? |
I bought some jeans. |
What are they made of? |
They are made of denim. |
PRESENT PERFECT – DURATION / RECENCY / EXPERIENCE | |
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We use present perfect to focus on an aspect of time: the duration or the recency of the activity. (for the past few hours, recently, so far, before) |
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ASK QUESTION W/ TIMING | PRESENT PERFECT |
What brands have you worn? |
I've worn Levi's and Gap. (experience-indefinite past) |
Where have you been? |
We have been shopping. (for the past few hours) |
What have you bought? |
I've just bought some new shoes. (recency) |
~Do you like my jean skirt? What do you suppose I have made it from? (recency) |
Are those my favorite old pair of jeans! |
recency (N) – being recent
seek (V) – asking for
PAST |
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Use the past tense for an emotional response, in which it is more urgent to tell what happened than how long or how many times. |
REPORTING DETAILS – EMOTIONAL RESPONSE |
Wow! Look at him. ! He just did a back flip. (amazement) |
Mom! Johnny hit me. (outrage) |
His car ran into the back of mine! (shock) |
PRESENT PERFECT |
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Use the present perfect tense when relating the importance of time: how long, how many times. (duration and repetition of activity) |
REPORTING EVENTS WITH TIMING |
He has done a back flip. (indefinite past experience) (previous or recent experience; perhaps, said to a gym coach with a checklist) |
Johnny has hit me. (indefinite past experience) (previous or recent experience; perhaps, said to a judge in a divorce court) |
His car has run into the back of mine before. (previous experience, perhaps a testimony) |
outburst – a sudden release
testimony – something said under oath (promise to tell the truth) in court
ERRORS |
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Where did you go on vacation? *We have been to the beach this summer. |
Where did you get that? *I have bought it at the bakery. |
SOLUTIONS |
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We went to the beach this summer. (focus is on activity) We have been to the beach recently. (focus is a recent time) We have been vacationing at the beach this summer. (focus is time – ongoing) (If we are still at the beach, use present perfect progressive with "this summer". If we are talking about a recently completed trip, use past tense, or use present perfect with the adverb "recently".) |
I bought it at the bakery. (Emphasis on where. Use past tense for reporting source or origin.) |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.