cubezero3
Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2009
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Chinese
- Home Country
- China
- Current Location
- China
Hello, everyone.
When talking about a deceased person, we use the past tenses. For example, we would say He wrote five books to express two things. First, this person is dead. And second, in his life he wrote five books.
I am quite intrigued as to whether this rule applies to lifeless things.
Say, my only car has recently been heavily damaged. No one can use it anymore unless it's repaired. So my car, in the same sense a person is dead, is gone.
Should I say I had a car instead of I have a car?
Many thanks
Richard
When talking about a deceased person, we use the past tenses. For example, we would say He wrote five books to express two things. First, this person is dead. And second, in his life he wrote five books.
I am quite intrigued as to whether this rule applies to lifeless things.
Say, my only car has recently been heavily damaged. No one can use it anymore unless it's repaired. So my car, in the same sense a person is dead, is gone.
Should I say I had a car instead of I have a car?
Many thanks
Richard