Jacek From Kwidzyn (Pomesania) Posted 20 years ago
Hello native speakers,
On the Internet I found some time ago an article by David Ignatius, and I'd like you to explain me why the author had used at the underlined place the present perfect tense and not just simple present?
Does "has needed" mean that the ethic has been needed there since he started working there?? ...And this is the reason why simple presend wasn't used???
"" On some of the issues over which he has tangled with the military brass, Rumsfeld has been right. The Pentagon is a hidebound place, and it has needed the "transformation" ethic Rumsfeld brought to his job.""
Would simple present make only sense if the sentence were constructed as it goes below?
"" The Pentagon is a hidebound place, and it needs the "transformation" ethic Rumsfeld brings to his job.""
thank you in advance for your explanations,
best wishes,
Jacek
Grammar
has needed the "transpormation" ethic / needs "transformation ethic"
Hello native speakers,
On the Internet I found some time ago an article by David Ignatius, and I'd like you to explain me why the author had used at the underlined place the present perfect tense and not just simple present?
Does "has needed" mean that the ethic has been needed there since he started working there?? ...And this is the reason why simple presend wasn't used???
"" On some of the issues over which he has tangled with the military brass, Rumsfeld has been right. The Pentagon is a hidebound place, and it has needed the "transformation" ethic Rumsfeld brought to his job.""
Would simple present make only sense if the sentence were constructed as it goes below?
"" The Pentagon is a hidebound place, and it needs the "transformation" ethic Rumsfeld brings to his job.""
thank you in advance for your explanations,
best wishes,
Jacek
Top answer
>Does "has needed" mean that the ethic has been needed there since he started working there?? well, not necessarily precisely since then, but since some time in the past and yes, this is the motivation for the present perfect, showing a PROCESS leading to a present/current conclusion/fact
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
0
>Does "has needed" mean that the ethic has been needed there since he started working there??
well, not necessarily precisely since then, but since some time in the past
and yes, this is the motivation for the present perfect, showing a PROCESS leading to a present/current conclusion/fact
well, not necessarily precisely since then, but since some time in the past
and yes, this is the motivation for the present perfect, showing a PROCESS leading to a present/current conclusion/fact
00
Hi Jacek,
" On some of the issues over which he has tangled with the military brass, Rumsfeld has been right. The Pentagon is a hidebound place, and it has needed the "transformation" ethic Rumsfeld brought to his job.""
I'd like you to explain me why the author had used at the underlined place the present perfec
" On some of the issues over which he has tangled with the military brass, Rumsfeld has been right. The Pentagon is a hidebound place, and it has needed the "transformation" ethic Rumsfeld brought to his job.""
I'd like you to explain me why the author had used at the underlined place the present perfec
0