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Thread: I forgot/I've forgotten

  1. #1
    Will17 is offline Senior Member
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    Cool I forgot/I've forgotten

    Hello!

    If I say "oh no, I forgot what I wanted to say!" Is it right?

    Is it better to use the present perfect: "oh no, I've forgotten what I wanted to say!"

    Thank you very much!
    WIll17

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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by Will17 View Post
    If I say "oh no, I forgot what I wanted to say!" Is it right?

    Is it better to use the present perfect: "oh no, I've forgotten what I wanted to say!"WIll17
    I, a speaker of BrE, would probably use the present perfect, but both are fine.
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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Some of the teachers will soon shoot us for present perfect vs. past simple questions.

    AmE - forgot possible
    BrE - have forgotten - more likely
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    freezeframe is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by nyota View Post
    Some of the teachers will soon shoot us for present perfect vs. past simple questions.

    AmE - forgot possible
    BrE - have forgotten - more likely

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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by nyota View Post
    Some of the teachers will soon shoot us for present perfect vs. past simple questions.
    It's our own fault.

    Some of us make a big issue of this when, in reality, there are many cases when it really doesn't matter. Even when speakers of BrE prefer the present perfect, the past simple is sometimes acceptable.
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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by freezeframe View Post
    Yikes! A self-fulfilling prophecy.
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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by fivejedjon View Post
    It's our own fault.

    Some of us make a big issue of this when, in reality, there are many cases when it really doesn't matter. Even when speakers of BrE prefer the present perfect, the past simple is sometimes acceptable.
    Oh well, learners like clear rules, so teachers give them what they want. And once you've learnt the rule, you can learn there are some exceptions to it, and that it's actually more of a pattern, and that ACTUALLY, everything goes.
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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by nyota View Post
    Some of the teachers will soon shoot us for present perfect vs. past simple questions.

    What does "shoot us for" mean here?

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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by nyota View Post
    Oh well, learners like clear rules, so teachers give them what they want. And once you've learnt the rule, you can learn there are some exceptions to it, and that it's actually more of a pattern.
    Sounds a little rigid, huh? I assumed only Chinese teachers use this teaching method...

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    Default Re: I forgot/I've forgotten

    Quote Originally Posted by caronmi View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by nyota View Post
    Some of the teachers will soon shoot us for present perfect vs. past simple questions.
    What does "shoot us for" mean here?
    They'll shoot us for (asking) present perfect vs. past simple questions all the time.
    caronmi likes this.

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