about grammar

[billy]

:(
hi,
I got a problem with grammar, I need your help , see blow.
1.
a. I found there is a mistake
b. I found there was a mistake
what's the difference between a and b ?

2.
how did you know I was here ? ( why instead of "how did you know I am here ? " because the speaker is here at the monment, it's true! should be " I am here" instead of " I was here")

3.
what does it mean by " don't let nobody touch it , that is my favorite radio"? ( should be " don't let anybody touch it " ) :(

[RonBee]

1.
a. I found there is a mistake
b. I found there was a mistake
what's the difference between a and b ?

I suppose that if somebody said there was a mistake that would mean it isn't there anymore. Practically speaking, there might not be any difference. Finally, you could simply say, "I found a mistake." :)

2.
how did you know I was here ? ( why instead of "how did you know I am here ? " because the speaker is here at the monment, it's true! should be " I am here" instead of " I was here")

"How did you know I am here" simply isn't used. In any event, the speaker would be talking about an event that occurred in the past, even if only a relatively brief time in the past.

3.
what does it mean by " don't let nobody touch it , that is my favorite radio"? ( should be " don't let anybody touch it " )

Stricly speaking, according to the rules of prescriptivist grammar, you are right. :)



English Idioms
http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1697

Brief Verse (Couplets)
http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1579

:)

[billy]

thank you for your explanation

he told me there is a mistake ( means the mistake is still there)
he told me there was a mistake ( means the mistake is not there any more )

Do I understand them right?

if I'm right , I still got confused.

"how did you know I was here? " doesn't make a sense, because at the monment I ask, I am here

[RonBee]

he told me there is a mistake ( means the mistake is still there)

Certainly. :D

he told me there was a mistake ( means the mistake is not there any more )

Possibly. :)

Do I understand them right?

I think so. :)

(Context, of course, is everything.)

if I'm right , I still got confused.

Why would you still be confused? :?

"how did you know I was here? " doesn't make a sense, because at the monment I ask, I am here

But when you asked "How did you know...?" you were talking about something that had happened in the past. Presumably, the person knows where you are at the time you are speaking, but you are talking about something that happened prior to that.

:)

[billy]

what does you mean by "possibly" in your reply? could you please explain it to me ? I don't undersand you




sometimes I can't express myself properly , so people don't undersand me . that was embarrassing. that 's why I want to know the reasons in detail

[Casiopea]

1a. I found (that) there is a mistake. (OK)
1b. I found (that) there was a mistake (made by someone). (OK)

b. = Passive construction. The passive focuses on the object, the mistake, and takes the focus off the subject, the person who made the mistake.

2. How did you know (that) I was here ? (OK)
Meaning, How did you know that I would be here now?

3. Don't let nobody touch it (the dial). That is my favorite radio (show)."
Better, Don't let anyone touch it.

Single negative
do not (negative) + any one (positive) grammatical

Double-negative
do not (negative) + nobody (negative) ungrammatical

:D

[joetmh]

i found out Caseopia is a teacher... and Ronbee is an expert...
but both have 6 stars... does it makes any different? just ask actually... hehe... :)

[RonBee]

what does you mean by "possibly" in your reply? could you please explain it to me ? I don't undersand you

A person could say "There was a mistake on your test" without meaning that the mistake isn't there anymore. It might still be there. (Nobody has changed it.) However, he is still using was. Why? Because. :wink:

sometimes I can't express myself properly , so people don't undersand me . that was embarrassing. that 's why I want to know the reasons in detail

Don't be embarrassed. If you knew everything already you wouldn't have any reason to ask questions. If nobody asked questions we wouldn't have a forum. :wink:

There is something missing in those sentences of yours. Can you tell me what it is? :wink:

:)

[RonBee]

i found out Caseopia is a teacher... and Ronbee is an expert...
but both have 6 stars... does it makes any different? just ask actually... hehe... :)

It's Red who makes those decisions. (Red5 is the wizard of the forum.) Anyhow, Caseopia is a teacher in "real life". If you want to know why I am an "expert" you will have to ask Red.

:wink:

(Say: "Does it make any difference?")

:D

[billy]

that's the reason why I want to know the reasons in detail



by the way , thank you very much for your help .