Results 1 to 7 of 7
Like Tree7Likes
  • 4 Post By 5jj
  • 3 Post By Barb_D

Thread: Present perfect with superlatives

  1. #1
    ronmecer is offline Newbie
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • Taiwan
      • Current Location:
      • Taiwan
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    18

    Default Present perfect with superlatives

    Hi everyone! What's the difference between the following sentences:

    1. Jill is the most beautiful girl John has ever met.

    2. Jill was the most beautiful girl John has ever met.

    I think both sentences mean that John hasn't met anybody like Jill up till now.

    But I wonder if sentence 2 means Jill is dead?


    How about these ones:

    3. It is the most boring film I have ever seen.

    4. It was the most boring film I have ever seen.


    Thanks for your help!

  2. #2
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • Czech Republic
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    17,000
    Teacher

    Default Re: Present perfect with superlatives

    Quote Originally Posted by ronmecer View Post
    1. Jill is the most beautiful girl John has ever met.

    2. Jill was the most beautiful girl John has ever met.
    1. Jill is still part of the life of the speaker and/or John.
    2. Jill is no longer part of the lives of the speaker or of John. Since she left, John has not met a more beautiful girl.

    In #3, below, Jill is no longer part of John's life. It is possible that he has met a more beautiful girl since Jill left.

    3. Jill was the most beautiful girl John had ever met.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


  3. #3
    ronmecer is offline Newbie
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • Taiwan
      • Current Location:
      • Taiwan
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    18
    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: Present perfect with superlatives

    Quote Originally Posted by 5jj View Post
    1. Jill is still part of the life of the speaker and/or John.
    2. Jill is no longer part of the lives of the speaker or of John. Since she left, John has not met a more beautiful girl.

    In #3, below, Jill is no longer part of John's life. It is possible that he has met a more beautiful girl since Jill left.

    3. Jill was the most beautiful girl John had ever met.
    Thanks! 5jj I have one more question
    Can I write this way?
    Jill has been the most beautiful girl John has ever met.

  4. #4
    Barb_D's Avatar
    Barb_D is offline Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • American English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    11,625

    Default Re: Present perfect with superlatives

    The present perfect in the first part sounds really weird.
    bhaisahab, ronmecer and 5jj like this.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

  5. #5
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • Czech Republic
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    17,000
    Teacher

    Default Re: Present perfect with superlatives

    Quote Originally Posted by Barb_D View Post
    The present perfect in the first part sounds really weird.
    That was my first reaction.

    I have come back to it twenty minutes later with the thought that it might be possible:

    A: John has had a lot of girlfriends.
    B: Yes, and some of them have been pretty attractive. Do you remember Jill?
    C: Oh, yes! Jill has been the most beautiful girl John has ever met.


    I think that it is possible for someone to say this, though I think 'Jill was...' is far more likely. I don't recommend it.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


  6. #6
    ronmecer is offline Newbie
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • Taiwan
      • Current Location:
      • Taiwan
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    18
    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: Present perfect with superlatives

    Quote Originally Posted by 5jj View Post
    1. Jill is still part of the life of the speaker and/or John.
    2. Jill is no longer part of the lives of the speaker or of John. Since she left, John has not met a more beautiful girl.

    In #3, below, Jill is no longer part of John's life. It is possible that he has met a more beautiful girl since Jill left.

    3. Jill was the most beautiful girl John had ever met.

    Hi 5jj Just to make sure I don't misunderstand it
    What do you exactly mean by "no longer part of lives" and "she left"?
    Does it mean "she is dead" or something else like:

    Jill and I broke up last week. She was the most beautiful girl I have ever met.

  7. #7
    sumon.'s Avatar
    sumon. is offline Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Bengali; Bangla
      • Home Country:
      • Bangladesh
      • Current Location:
      • Bangladesh
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    158

    Default Re: Present perfect with superlatives

    Quote Originally Posted by ronmecer View Post
    Hi 5jj Just to make sure I don't misunderstand it
    What do you exactly mean by "no longer part of lives" and "she left"?
    Does it mean "she is dead" or something else like:
    Not a teacher
    Hi
    What is the meaning of I wanna be with you?
    It means(maybe), I want to live with you or something else like that.

    no longer part of lives in this phrase, generally, Mr. 5jj meant that she(Jill ) is not living
    with John any more. Maybe they broke up.

Similar Threads

  1. present perfect progressive & present perfect simple
    By sitifan in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 25-Feb-2009, 14:34
  2. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 29-Nov-2007, 22:09
  3. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 14-Mar-2007, 14:13
  4. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 11-Apr-2005, 02:34
  5. Superlatives + Perfect
    By Anonymous in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 19-Mar-2004, 12:52

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0