it's time you did something

[Aurimas]

How do you understand this kind of structure:

1.It's late. It's time we went home.

is it exactly the same as:

1a. It's late. It's time to go home.

?? or is there any difference? and how do I understand it?

I know it's something about criticism, but I can't get the point of using past instead of present to actualy talk about present? so another question is: what's/where's the logic? I mean it must have some kind of logic to the native English speakers... not just that it's just said that way....

does the level of criticism differ in these sentences:

2. It's 10 o'clock and he's still in bed. It's time he got up.
2a. <... . it's time to get up.

??

[hector51]

when we use "it's time/it's about time + S + simple past tense" ,we want to complain or say that something should have been done at the time of speaking.

e.g:It's late. It's time we went home ("It's time to go home" is ok,but it doesn't use this structure)

hope it helps

[Aurimas]

Originally Posted by hector51

when we use "it's time/it's about time + S + simple past tense" ,we want to complain or say that something should have been done at the time of speaking.
e.g:It's late. It's time we went home ("It's time to go home" is ok,but it doesn't use this structure)
hope it helps

ok, I know it's used to complain.... but all of my other questions leave unanswered

[matilda]

Originally Posted by hector51

when we use "it's time/it's about time + S + simple past tense" ,we want to complain or say that something should have been done at the time of speaking.

e.g:It's late. It's time we went home ("It's time to go home" is ok,but it doesn't use this structure)

hope it helps

so you mean (it's time we went home) is grammatically correct?

[Aurimas]

Originally Posted by matilda

so you mean (it's time we went home) is grammatically correct?

He doesn't just mean, he knows... just as I know! ... but the difference is that I don't fully understand it... but he does! (he's a native English speaker)

[DavyBCN]

Originally Posted by Aurimas

He doesn't just mean, he knows... just as I know! ... but the difference is that I don't fully understand it... but he does! (he's a native English speaker)

It's time we went home is perfectly correct grammar. We use this structure of the past tense to make a strong suggestion or give strong advice. Other examples - "It's time we had lunch"; "It's time she studied harder if she wants to pass her exams". Remember - do not confuse tense with time. If you know your conditionals - "If I spoke Chinese, I would be very happy" - you are talking about the present time (I do not speak Chinese now) but using the past tense. Also remember we use the present tense to talk about some things in the future - "I leave for Paris tomorrow". Tense and time - often not the same thing.

[DavyBCN]

Originally Posted by Aurimas

How do you understand this kind of structure:
1.It's late. It's time we went home.
is it exactly the same as:
1a. It's late. It's time to go home.
?? or is there any difference? and how do I understand it?
I know it's something about criticism, but I can't get the point of using past instead of present to actualy talk about present? so another question is: what's/where's the logic? I mean it must have some kind of logic to the native English speakers... not just that it's just said that way....
does the level of criticism differ in these sentences:
2. It's 10 o'clock and he's still in bed. It's time he got up.
2a. <... . it's time to get up.
??

I hope my earlier reply helps a little. To answer your original point, both 1 and 1a really mean the same thing. In both "it is late". 1 emphasises that "we" should go home. 1a can mean the same thing, but it can also mean that someone else or everyone should go home - a way to make unwelcome visitors leave! And while it can be used to be critical it can also be used in other situations, such as you have been having a good time, looked at your watch and suddenly realised how late it is - to express surprise and perhaps even apologies.

[Aurimas]

allright... I have some kind of understanding now, Thanks!

It`s time we went home [ it`s almost too late]

It`s time[for us] to go home [ this is the time/hour we usually go home :It`s 9 o`clock p.m. It`s time to go home.]




Regards,

[DavyBCN]

Originally Posted by sheena55ro

It`s time we went home [ it`s almost too late]
It`s time[for us] to go home [ this is the time/hour we usually go home :It`s 9 o`clock p.m. It`s time to go home.]
Regards,

Very good and simp,e explanation Sheena. Reminded me that native British speakers often use the phrases "it's about time we went home" and "it's about time to go home" also. No real change in meaning.