Time Clauses

[Will17]

Hello!

I need your help on these, please :

-I'll let you know when she arrives/ has arrived. (They look both correct to me).

-Will you phone as soons as you have got/get your exam results? (same here)

-I'll call a taxi when the film finishes/has finished. (same here)



-You can't drive in Britain until you are 17. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "have been".

-I'll help you as soon as I have done the shopping. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "do".

-I'll phone the restaurant before we go out. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "have gone out".


Thank you very much.
W

[bhaisahab]

Hello!

I need your help on these, please :

-I'll let you know when she arrives/ has arrived. (They look both correct to me). You could use either, "when she arrives" implies more immediacy.

-Will you phone as soon as you have got/get your exam results? (same here) If you say "as soon as" you are talking about immediately so "get" or "receive" are appropriate.

-I'll call a taxi when the film finishes/has finished. (same here) Here "has finished" is appropriate because if you use "finishes" it implies that you will call the taxi at the same moment that the film ends.



-You can't drive in Britain until you are 17. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "have been". You could use "...until you have had your 17th birthday". "...until you are 17" is much simpler.

-I'll help you as soon as I have done the shopping. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "do". You are saying that you will help when the shopping is finished. If you use do, it implies that you will help while you are doing the shopping.

-I'll phone the restaurant before we go out. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "have gone out". Why would you want to use "have gone out"?


Thank you very much.
W

.

[Will17]

I'll phone the restaurant before we go out. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "have gone out". Why would you want to use "have gone out"?
Because we usually have to choose between the Present Simple and the PP in a time clause.
Why can't we use "have gone out"?

Thank you, your help is always very valuable.
W

[bhaisahab]

I'll phone the restaurant before we go out. => I understand this one but I can't explain WHY we can't use "have gone out". Why would you want to use "have gone out"?
Because we usually have to choose between the Present Simple and the PP in a time clause.
Why can't we use "have gone out"?

Thank you, your help is always very valuable.
W

Do you think that "I'll phone the restaurant before we have gone out" makes sense?

[Will17]

Do you think that "I'll phone the restaurant before we have gone out" makes sense?

I don't know, I'm just lost.

[bhaisahab]

I don't know, I'm just lost.

How would you write it in French? "Je téléphonerai au réstaurant avant de sortir"?

[Will17]

How would you write it in French? "Je téléphonerai au réstaurant avant de sortir"?

Thank you bhaisahab for trying to help me.

The best way to say it is what you wrote using the infinitive form, but if we conjugate the verb, both tenses would work in French, that's why I'm lost, I think:
Je téléphonerai au restaurant avant que nous partions. (before we go out)

Je téléphonerai au restaurant avant que nous soyions partis. (have gone out). This one, indeed, sounds less natural, but is correct, though.

Can you help me?

[bhaisahab]

Thank you bhaisahab for trying to help me.

The best way to say it is what you wrote using the infinitive form, but if we conjugate the verb, both tenses would work in French, that's why I'm lost, I think:
Je téléphonerai au restaurant avant que nous partions. (before we go out)

Je téléphonerai au restaurant avant que nous soyions partis. (have gone out). This one, indeed, sounds less natural, but is correct, though.

Can you help me?

Yes, I know that the last example is correct in French, but nobody uses it, it is not natural language. In modern English "I'll phone the restaurant before we have gone out" just feels and sounds wrong, there may have been a time when it would have been considered correct (although I can't honestly say I can think of an example).