[Grammar] Present perfect, Again!

Will17 · Apr 26, 2010

Hello there,

I need your help, can you tell me if the following sentences are correct?:

-I've recently started ( or started?) a new job.

-Since I've discovered (or discovered?) this new coffee machine, I've been drinking 10 cups of coffee a day!

----------
Seen on TV:

A: I think he's lost his talent.

B: Yes, he lost it.

What does A use the present perfect and B the past simple. Why do they not use the same tense?

Thanks a lot
W

bhaisahab · Apr 26, 2010

Will17 said:
Hello there,

I need your help, can you tell me if the following sentences are correct?:

-I've recently started ( or started?) a new job.

-Since I've discovered (or discovered?) this new coffee machine, I've been drinking 10 cups of coffee a day!

----------
Seen on TV:

A: I think he's lost his talent.

B: Yes, he lost it.

What does A use the present perfect and B the past simple. Why do they not use the same tense?

Thanks a lot
W

"I have recently started a new job/I have started a new job" are both correct.
"Since I discovered this new coffee machine, I have been drinking..."

In your example from the TV, B should say: "Yes he's (he has) lost it".

Will17 · Apr 26, 2010

bhaisahab; "Since I discovered this new coffee machine said:
Thank you bhaisahab.

Regarding the above example, I have one more question.

Why do we say?:

-"Since I"ve seen you (and not "saw") many things have happened.

But

-Since I discovered (and not have discovered)this new coffee machine, I have been drinking...

Thank you.

Raymott · Apr 26, 2010

Will17 said:
Why do we say?:

-"Since I"ve seen you (and not "saw") many things have happened.

We don't.

Will17 · Apr 26, 2010

Raymott said:
We don't.

So we say, "since I saw you ,many things have happened? ":-D

Raymott · Apr 26, 2010

Will17 said:
So we say, "since I saw you ,many things have happened? ":-D

Yes, but "Since I saw you" would not be said often. It needs more explanation.

Some things that do make sense:
Since I last saw you ...
Since I saw you last week ...
Since I met you ...

~Mav~ · Apr 26, 2010

And what about Sting's chart-topping hit song? ;-)

"Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace"

(You can find the lyrics in the description bar.)

I don't think that "since" means "because" here... :-?

emsr2d2 · Apr 26, 2010

~Mav~ said:
And what about Sting's chart-topping hit song? ;-)

"Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace"

(You can find the lyrics in the description bar.)

I don't think that "since" means "because" here... :-?

And here again is evidence that song lyrics shouldn't be used as examples of grammatically correct English!! Technically, that sentence should read "Since you've been gone....." (too many syllables for the rhythm) or "Since you went....." (just doesn't sound as good!)

~Mav~ · Apr 26, 2010

Thank you very much!

emsr2d2 said:
And here again is evidence that song lyrics shouldn't be used as examples of grammatically correct English!!

What a pity! :-( Sting "attended Northern Counties College of Education, (which later became part of Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher. He then worked as a schoolteacher at St. Paul's Middle School in Cramlington for two years." (Wikipedia) One would think that a well-educated, British songwriter can be trusted... :-D

emsr2d2 said:
Technically, that sentence should read "Since you've been gone....."

And would "since", in this case, mean "because" :?:

And, speaking of lyrics, does the same apply to The Beatles' hit, "Don't bother me"? (No, I don't want to bother you. :mrgreen: ) I mean the following line:
"Since she's been gone I want no one to talk to me."

emsr2d2 · Apr 26, 2010

~Mav~ said:
Thank you very much!

What a pity! :-( Sting "attended Northern Counties College of Education, (which later became part of Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher. He then worked as a schoolteacher at St. Paul's Middle School in Cramlington for two years." (Wikipedia) One would think that a well-educated, British songwriter can be trusted... :-D

And would "since", in this case, mean "because" :?:

And, speaking of lyrics, does the same apply to The Beatles' hit, "Don't bother me"? (No, I don't want to bother you. :mrgreen: ) I mean the following line:
"Since she's been gone I want no one to talk to me."

"Since" doesn't mean "because" in either of those examples. It means "From the time that"

~Mav~ · Apr 26, 2010

Thank you again.

emsr2d2 said:
Technically, that sentence should read "Since you've been gone....."

But it's still present perfect, isn't it? Or does the passive form "justify" the use of present perfect instead of the simple past? After all, it could be said "since you were gone..." in this case, couldn't it? And, according to the previous posts, it would be the correct form/tense.

emsr2d2 said:
"Since" doesn't mean "because" in either of those examples. It means "From the time that"

Out of curiosity, is there any rule to it, or is it just a matter of interpretation? I mean it would make sense if one said "because you've gone, I've been lost..." or "I've been lost because because you've gone", wouldn't it? (Though I feel that "I'm lost because you've gone" would sound better.) How can we decide whether "since" means "because" or it means "from the time that" in cases where it can theoretically mean both :?:

Thank you for your patience.

[Grammar] Present perfect, Again!

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