I cut or I've cut

**Dready** · 13-Dec-2011, 09:13

Dear teachers,

Please help me figure out what tense I should use in the following sentence:

...... my hand on a piece of glass. Do you have a Band-Aid

It was in the grammar test.

Thank you.

**emsr2d2** · 13-Dec-2011, 09:32

Originally Posted by Dready

Dear teachers,

Please help me figure out what tense I should use in the following sentence:

...... my hand on a piece of glass. Do you have a Band-Aid?

It was in the grammar test.

Thank you.

You have not suggested what you think the answer is! You have asked us to "help you figure out the answer". On that basis, we're not going to just give you the answer.

What do you think the most likely tense is?

**Dready** · 13-Dec-2011, 11:19

Well, I actually know the answer. The answer to this question that was given after the test was "I cut". But I don't understand why we have to use the Present Simple Tense here when he has just cut his hand, it happened a few moments ago.

So, I guess I should have asked you to explain to me the choice of tense here.

**5jj** · 13-Dec-2011, 12:39

It's the past simple - which has the same form in CUT, except for the 3rd person singular. Both present perfect and past simple are possible here; I'd use the former.

**Barb_D** · 13-Dec-2011, 12:49

I feel more strongly than that. I think "I've cut" is the MUCH better answer -- it directly relates to the present situation, since you're aking me if I need a bandage.

I do agree that both are possible, but in the context of a cut that is still bleeding, present perfect is light years ahead as the better answer.

**Dready** · 13-Dec-2011, 13:16

Thank you, guys, very much. I was leaning towards the Present Perfect too. Don't know why in the test results here (http://http://english-exam.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=413&Item id=1) the right variant was "I cut" (the Past Simple Tense).

**5jj** · 13-Dec-2011, 13:29

It's a bad test. There are several questions there in which more than one tense form is possible.

**emsr2d2** · 13-Dec-2011, 13:41

I agree with BarbD that the present perfect sounds much more natural. If I were relating the story to someone later in the day, I would say "I cut my finger and needed a Band-Aid" but at the time I would certainly say "I've cut my finger. Do you have a Band-Aid".

Actually, I would say "Do you have a plaster?" because in BrE we don't use the brand name as a generic term in this particular instance.

**Raymott** · 13-Dec-2011, 15:44

Originally Posted by Dready

Don't know why in the test results here (http://http://english-exam.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=413&Item id=1) the right variant was "I cut" (the Past Simple Tense).

I'd put it down to incompetence. There are other reasons things like this happen, but they're relatively uncommon.
If what 5jj says is true, I'd consider complaining. It's often the only way to get things done properly, and you might save future students some anguish.

**englishhobby** · 13-Dec-2011, 16:13

They seem to have corrected the mistake in the test - I tried it with "I've cut..." and it was all right.

Thread: I cut or I've cut

Thread Tools

Display

I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Re: I cut or I've cut

Similar Threads

First cut and all that

[Idiom] Meaning of "cut by cut"?

to be cut over somebody

a cut above others

To Be Cut Out To Do?

Posting Permissions