yet

[peter123]

Hi there,
I don't know understand why the present tense is used instead of 'present perfect tense' with 'yet' in the following sentence. Why the writer used present simple tense. I thought 'yet' should go with 'perfect tense', is that always true?


John was injured in an accident this morning. His condition is not yet known.


Thanks
pete

[David L.]

Post the sentence as you think it should be.

[BobK]

Post the sentence as you think it should be.

.... I thought 'yet' should go with 'perfect tense', is that always true?


John was injured in an accident this morning. His condition is not yet known.


Thanks
pete

Incidentally, the 'yet' and the verb you're talking about are in different sentences. If the 'yet' was in the first sentence, 'John has not been injured yet.' [No 'this morning']. Or if you want a present perfect in the second sentence, 'His condition has not been determined yet.'

But, as David L said, let us know how you think the sentence should be.

b

[peter123]

hi there,

I thought the sentence should be
'His condition has not yet been known.' because I was taught to use 'perfect tense' with 'yet' when I was at school.

thanks

pete

[BobK]

hi there,

I thought the sentence should be
'His condition has not yet been known.' because I was taught to use 'perfect tense' with 'yet' when I was at school.

thanks

pete

The trouble with that is that "being known about" is a state, and 'yet' refers to events. You can make the event be the beginning of the state like this:
His condition has not yet been analysed/determined.
Or
Doctors have not yet discovered/begun to look into his condition.
Or even (if it's busy in A&E )
Assessment of his condition has not yet started.

If you want to keep the "known" you could possibly even say "His condition has not yet come to be known" - but that sounds a bit stilted to me.

b