Tomix Posted 23 years ago
Grammar
'not always' + present perfect or past simple?
Hello Forum,
I'm a bit lost here...
Consider this sentence:
"She ________________ (not always, be) interested in politics, but she is now."
Do I need to say "she hasn't always been" (always + present perfect)
OR
Do I need to say " she wasn't always" (past simple, because the not being interested is over)
??????? or can I use both? I want to know what the rule is and what educated native speakers use. None of my clever books could fill me in on this... both sound okay to me...
hmmm, I actually think that the PAST SIMPLE is correct, and that te ePRESEN PEREFECT is wrong. But I have a hint of a doubt...
I teach English but am not a native speaker.
Please help, thank you.
Tom
I'm a bit lost here...
Consider this sentence:
"She ________________ (not always, be) interested in politics, but she is now."
Do I need to say "she hasn't always been" (always + present perfect)
OR
Do I need to say " she wasn't always" (past simple, because the not being interested is over)
??????? or can I use both? I want to know what the rule is and what educated native speakers use. None of my clever books could fill me in on this... both sound okay to me...
hmmm, I actually think that the PAST SIMPLE is correct, and that te ePRESEN PEREFECT is wrong. But I have a hint of a doubt...
I teach English but am not a native speaker.
Please help, thank you.
Tom
Top answer
"She wasn't always" is correct. Using the past simple indicates that a condition that was true in the past has ceased to be true. "She hasn't always" suggests that she wasn't always, and that she still isn't.
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"She wasn't always" is correct. Using the past simple indicates that a condition that was true in the past has ceased to be true.
"She hasn't always" suggests that she wasn't always, and that she still isn't. Use the present perfect to describe conditions that were true in the past and that are still true.
"She hasn't always" suggests that she wasn't always, and that she still isn't. Use the present perfect to describe conditions that were true in the past and that are still true.
00
Yo, thank you.
I figured as much, but after reading so many student copies that got it wrong, I got VERY confused.
I can't actually think of ANY example in which "hasn't always" could be used. Can you?
I figured as much, but after reading so many student copies that got it wrong, I got VERY confused.
I can't actually think of ANY example in which "hasn't always" could be used. Can you?
00
Hmm...consider the following examples:
"She doesn't remember to take her medicine." (Present tense and progressive form; she never takes her medicine, both in the past and now.)
"She didn't remember to take her medicine." (Simple past; at some point in the past, she forgot to take her medicine.)
"She hasn't always remembered to take her medicine." (Present perfect
"She doesn't remember to take her medicine." (Present tense and progressive form; she never takes her medicine, both in the past and now.)
"She didn't remember to take her medicine." (Simple past; at some point in the past, she forgot to take her medicine.)
"She hasn't always remembered to take her medicine." (Present perfect
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Dear sir,
could you pls let me know whether this sentence is correct grammatically or not?
*if i haven't received any reply till today, i will return the shpt to the customs.*
in advance thank you for your help
could you pls let me know whether this sentence is correct grammatically or not?
*if i haven't received any reply till today, i will return the shpt to the customs.*
in advance thank you for your help
00
Hi,
could you pls let me know whether this sentence is correct grammatically or not?
*if i haven't received any reply till today, i will return the shpt to the customs.*
in advance thank you for your help
No, it's not correct.
Two capital letters are missing. (Can you see where they should be?)
Abbreviations should not be used in caref
could you pls let me know whether this sentence is correct grammatically or not?
*if i haven't received any reply till today, i will return the shpt to the customs.*
in advance thank you for your help
No, it's not correct.
Two capital letters are missing. (Can you see where they should be?)
Abbreviations should not be used in caref
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