Parallel Structure

[gorikaz]

Dear teachers,

I get confused if all of the following sentences a) through d) could be gmmatically correct or not.

Original sentences before parallel structure are:

1. Use the present perfect tense.
2. Use the past perfect tense.

In parallel structure:

a) Use the present and past perfect tenses.
(This is probablly the best, isn't it?)

b) Use the present perfect and the past perfect tense.
(Is it grammatially okay?)

c) Use the present perfect and past perfect tenses.
(How about this??)

d) Use the present and the past perfect tense.
(Is it also grammatically okay?)


Native speakers, please, please help me!!!

[naomimalan]

Dear teachers,

I get confused if all of the following sentences a) through d) could be gmmatically correct or not.

Original sentences before parallel structure are:

1. Use the present perfect tense.
2. Use the past perfect tense.

In parallel structure:

a) Use the present and past perfect tenses.
(This is probablly the best, isn't it?)

b) Use the present perfect and the past perfect tense.
(Is it grammatially okay?)

c) Use the present perfect and past perfect tenses.
(How about this??)

d) Use the present and the past perfect tense.
(Is it also grammatically okay?)


Native speakers, please, please help me!!!

You couldn't use (a) and (d) because they could both of them imply "use the present tense....", not "use the present perfect tense..."

I think (b)should be eliminated because in fact "tense" should be in the plural because we are talking about two tenses, not one.

So I think the only acceptable answer would be (c).

[gorikaz]

You couldn't use (a) and (d) because they could both of them imply "use the present tense....", not "use the present perfect tense..."

I think (b)should be eliminated because in fact "tense" should be in the plural because we are talking about two tenses, not one.

So I think the only acceptable answer would be (c).

Thank you for your comment and advice, naomimalan
By the way, should (b) really be eliminated even though there are two "the" in its sentence? Is it still not good and only (c) would be acceptable out of my four examples?

[naomimalan]

Thank you for your comment and advice, naomimalan It's a pleasure.
By the way, should (b) really be eliminated even though there are two "the" in its sentence? Is it still not good and only (c) would be acceptable out of my four examples?

Well, if you were just chatting to someone then, yes, (b) would be perfectly acceptable. On the other hand, if the question were part of a test, or homework or something, the examiner or teacher might not accept it. (In actual fact, to be absolutely technical, these are not tenses but aspects. But to all intents and purposes in classrooms they are tenses.)

As regards (a) and (d), even if you were just chatting, the other person might understand you were talking about the present tense, not the present perfect. They might interrupt you an

[gorikaz]

Well, if you were just chatting to someone then, yes, (b) would be perfectly acceptable. On the other hand, if the question were part of a test, or homework or something, the examiner or teacher might not accept it. (In actual fact, to be absolutely technical, these are not tenses but aspects. But to all intents and purposes in classrooms they are tenses.)

As regards (a) and (d), even if you were just chatting, the other person might understand you were talking about the present tense, not the present perfect. They might interrupt you an

Thank you again for your further advice
By the way, could you please give me the rest of your sentence after "They might interrupt you an・・・," please.

[naomimalan]

Thank you again for your further advice
By the way, could you please give me the rest of your sentence after "They might interrupt you an・・・," please.

Sorry about that - I must have got interrupted myself while I was writing it!

I think it was something like "They might interrupt you and say 'Do you mean the present tense or the present perfect?"