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Old 22-Oct-2003, 17:46
jwschang
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Default Re: Revisiting Present Perfect

Quote:
Originally Posted by RonBee
As for those example sentences I posted, I thought it might be interesting to demonstrate that those "impossible" sentences are quite possible given the right circumstances. As someone once said, it is context that makes a sentence meaningful.

Let's briefly look at the questions and the revised answers.

A: Have you eaten lunch in the afternoon? (Any afternoon)
B: B. Yes, I ate lunch in the afternoon. (A particular afternoon--that day)

A: Have you eaten lunch at three? (Any day)
B. Yes, I ate lunch at three. (A particular day--that day)

A: Have you visited Dalian in July? (Any July)
B. Yes, I visited Dalian in July. (The most recent July)

(I am now going to have to ponder for a while on whether that made any sense.)
The sentences above are all correct grammar, but all the questions by A do not contain a "specific time in the past" expression. It is this "rule" that is being questioned. :(
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