[Grammar] You've cut your hair - You cut your hair

[Archie100]

Hello guys

I was wondering what would happen if I used the Past Simple instead of the Present Perfect in situation that only PP should be used? Am I still be understood?

For example:

"You've cut your hair - You cut your hair or I've just eaten my breakfast - I just ate my breakfast ect."

In Polish language We don't have similar tense to the Present Perfect and It's a little bit confusion when exactly It is need to use. Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello. [STRIKE]guys[/STRIKE]

I was wondering what would happen if I used the past simple instead of the present perfect in a situation [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] where only [STRIKE]PP[/STRIKE] the present perfect should be used? [STRIKE]Am[/STRIKE] Would I still be understood?

For example:

1. "You've cut your hair/You cut your hair. [STRIKE]or[/STRIKE]
2. I've just eaten my breakfast/I just ate my breakfast. [STRIKE]etc."[/STRIKE]

In Polish, [STRIKE]language[/STRIKE] we don't have a similar tense to the present perfect and it's a little bit [STRIKE]confusion[/STRIKE] confusing knowing when exactly it is needed. [STRIKE]to use.[/STRIKE]

[STRIKE]Thank you.[/STRIKE] Unnecessary. Thank us after we help you, by clicking on the Thank button.

Welcome to the forum. :hi:

British English speakers would use only the present perfect in your two examples. American English speakers might use the past simple, I believe. In your opening sentence, you even said "where only the present perfect should be used". That kind of answers your own question. However, you would be understood in all variants, whichever tense you choose.

Please note my corrections above. There is no need to capitalise anything other than the first word of a sentence or proper nouns. The names of tenses are not proper nouns. Don't use a capital letter after a comma unless it's a proper noun or randomly in the middle of a sentence.

 

[Glizdka]

I'm [STRIKE]was[/STRIKE] wondering what would happen if I used the [STRIKE]P[/STRIKE]past [STRIKE]S[/STRIKE]simple instead of the [STRIKE]P[/STRIKE]present [STRIKE]P[/STRIKE]perfect in a situation [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] where only [STRIKE]PP[/STRIKE] the present perfect should be used[STRIKE]?[/STRIKE]. [STRIKE]Am I still[/STRIKE] Would I be understood anyway?

In most cases, you would be understood, but it wouldn't necessarily sound natural or correct, just understandable/deducible. In some cases, however, you could cause confusion and misunderstanding by using the past simple where the present perfect should be used instead.

I should point out that American English often uses the past simple where British English uses the present perfect, in certain contexts.

In Polish [STRIKE]language[/STRIKE], [STRIKE]W[/STRIKE]we don't have [STRIKE]similar[/STRIKE] a tense similar to the [STRIKE]P[/STRIKE]present [STRIKE]P[/STRIKE]perfect and It's a little [STRIKE]bit[/STRIKE] confusing[STRIKE]on[/STRIKE] when exactly Iit is needed to be used. Thank you.

That's true, we don't. The key thing to remember is that the present simple is a present tense, not a past tense. It always relates to the present.

"I've cut my hair" means you can see the outcome now. Your hair is now different.
"I cut my hair" means you did it at some point in the past, and it may or may not have anything to do with how you look now. You could, for instance, cut it 10 years ago, and not only has your hair grown back, but you've also dyed it pink.

 

[Skrej]

It's quite common in AmE to use 'You cut your hair' as way of making an observation. We might use the interrogative form (Did you cut your hair) as a (often rhetorical) way of making the same observation.

In that context, I think the simple past is at least equally as common, if not more common than the present perfect in AmE. That isn't necessarily true for all instances.

'You cut your hair' allows for the whimsical retort of "Yes, all of them!"

A little count/non-count dad joke that's more annoying than funny.:roll:

 

[Archie100]

Ok that makes sense, is there any unusual situation where the present perfect can be used? I mean things that textbooks don't mention.

 

[Tdol]

What do you mean by unusual situation?

 

[emsr2d2]

Ok that makes sense, is there any unusual situation where the present perfect can be used? I mean things that textbooks don't mention.

You're in for a long haul if you're going to ask us if there are situations not mentioned in textbooks! The answer will be yes every time!

In BrE, it would actually be more natural to say "You've had your hair cut" or "Have you had your hair cut?" That makes it clear that we assume that someone else cut the hair, not the owner of the hair.

 

[Archie100]

Of course i am. I'm not a native and in my opinion it's natural i'm asking that kind of things. I didn't expect you'd list me all situation that existed. You need to known that sometimes people like me is realy hard to understand proper using of the present perfect. A few examples that's all what i wanted.

 

[Archie100]

I'm talking about situation when natives usually use but an english schools don't teach of that.

 

[Glizdka]

I'm talking about situation when natives usually use but an english schools don't teach of that.

You've got to be kidding me; there's too many of them! ;-)

 

[Archie100]

You've got to be kidding me; there's too many of them! ;-)

I know That wasn"t my point;-) After i read the recent posts i need to explain that i only wanted some interesing examples. Generally i understand how to use the present perfect, sometimes i have a problem the past simple or present perfect is more correct though. So please be understanding;-)

 

[emsr2d2]

Of course I am. I'm not a native English speaker and in my opinion it's natural that I'm asking that kind of [STRIKE]things[/STRIKE] thing. I didn't expect [STRIKE]you'd[/STRIKE] you to list [STRIKE]me[/STRIKE] all the situations that [STRIKE]existed[/STRIKE] exist. You need to [STRIKE]known[/STRIKE] know that sometimes people like me [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] find it really hard to understand the proper [STRIKE]using[/STRIKE] use/usage of the present perfect. A few examples [STRIKE]that's[/STRIKE] is all [STRIKE]what[/STRIKE] I wanted.

I'm talking about situations when natives usually use something but [STRIKE]an[/STRIKE] English schools don't teach [STRIKE]of that[/STRIKE] it.

I know. That wasn't my point. ;-) After I read the recent posts, I needed to explain that I only wanted some interesting examples. Generally, I understand how to use the present perfect, but sometimes I have a problem knowing whether the past simple or the present perfect is [STRIKE]more[/STRIKE] correct though. [STRIKE]So[/STRIKE] Please be understanding. ;-)

Please note my corrections to your last three posts above. Before we move on to the intricacies of examples that fall outside the standard rules, we need to see that you can write basic English correctly.

You must capitalise the word "I" every time you write it.
You must capitalise proper nouns.
You must end every sentence with one appropriate punctuation mark. An emoji is not a replacement for a full stop.

 

[Archie100]

Yes, you're right. I still make terrible mistakes and need to improve my English skill. Although, I'm trying to be correct as much as possible. Maybe with this forum I'll get better. All advices are always needed. ;-)

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, you're right. I still make terrible mistakes and need to improve my English skill no full stop here although no comma here I'm trying to be correct as much as possible. Maybe with this forum I'll get better. All [STRIKE]advices are[/STRIKE] advice is always needed. ;-)

This forum will definitely help you. "Advice" is an uncountable noun.

 

[Tarheel]

Archie100, do you think could make your posts shorter? Maybe ramble a little less?

 

[tedmc]

Yes, you're right. I still make terrible mistakes and need to improve my English[STRIKE] skill.[/STRIKE] Although, I'm trying to be correct as much as possible. Maybe with this forum I'll get better. All advices are always [STRIKE]needed[/STRIKE] welcome. ;-)

Your third sentence is not complete without another clause.

 

[Tarheel]

Try:

I make lots of mistakes, but I'm trying to improve.

(The word advice is a noncount noun.)

I imagine that you welcome helpful suggestions.

 

[Archie100]

Archie100, do you think could make your posts shorter? Maybe ramble a little less?

Ok, I'll try.