Grammar-Quizzes › Verb Phrases › Verbs › Past › Reporting Source

Past — Source or Emotional Impact

Report a past activity (not its timing)

Reporting Source vs. Duration

PAST – SOURCE / INFORMATION
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).
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
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)
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

Emotional Impact

Responding With an Emotional Outburst

Emotional Response vs. Experience

PAST
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
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

Common Mistakes

Errors and Solutions

Error and Solution

ERRORS
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
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.)

SOLUTIONS

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.

Pop-Q – "Source"