I appreciated being invited

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

This example is given in the book (English Grammar by Azar) to show a passive gerund construction but it is given in the Present forms of gerund not past. Why does it say: ''I appreciated'' and not I'' appreciate''?
The book also says if the main verb is past, the action of the past infinitive or gerund happened before a time in the past.
''I appreciated being invited to your home''.

 

[GoesStation]

The speaker felt appreciation in the past. She'd use the present simple if she were visiting when she was speaking.

Use quotation marks, not parentheses ("brackets" in BrE), to mark titles.

 

[Rachel Adams]

So ''I appreciated being invited'' -in the past
''I appreciate having been'' -I appreciate now the fact that I was invited in the past. Right?

Is it always ''I appreciate having done something'' and not ''I appreciated having done? Instead of ''I appreciate being invited'', ''I appreciated being invited''?

 

[GoesStation]

So ''I appreciated being invited'' -in the past
''I appreciate having been'' -I appreciate now the fact that I was invited in the past. Right? Yes.

Is it always ''I appreciate having done something'' and not ''I appreciated having done? Instead of ''I appreciate being invited'', ''I appreciated being invited''?

No, those are both possible. They both convey gratitude — the first as a current condition, the second as a past one.

 

[Rachel Adams]

One more question. 'I appreciate being invited', does ''being invited'' indicate an earlier event? If it does, then it's not always necessary to use the perfect gerund to show that the action was in the past, is it? I appreciate now is a current condition but 'being invited'?

 

[GoesStation]

One more question. 'I appreciate being invited', does ''being invited'' indicate an earlier event?

Logically, the inviting must have happened before the speaker utters the sentence. The grammar doesn't tell us that, though.

 

[teechar]

So ''I appreciated being invited'' -in the past

Yes, both are in the past.

''I appreciate having been'' -I appreciate now the fact that I was invited in the past. Right?

Yes.

Is it always ''I appreciate having done something'' and not ''I appreciated having done? Instead of ''I appreciate being invited'', ''I appreciated being invited''?

That doesn't make sense.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Yes, both are in the past.


Yes.


That doesn't make sense.

I was asking whether we always have to use the perfect gerund if we are talking about the action that happened in the past. I wrote how I understand these sentences. I would be grateful, if you corrected them.
We thanked them for having supported us. Thanked them in the past for supporting us in the past.
We thanked them for supporting us. The perfect gerund wasn't used. The action happened earlier. Both in the past. But in my language 'supporting' can be happening now.
We thank them for supporting us. We thank them now for supporting us now or earlier.
We thank them for having supported us. We thank them now for supporting us earlier.

 

[teechar]

I was asking whether we always have to use the perfect gerund if we are talking about the action that happened in the past.

No.
We thanked them for their support.

We thanked them for having supported us. Thanked them in the past for supporting us in the past.
We thanked them for supporting us. The perfect gerund wasn't used. The action happened earlier. Both in the past.

Correct.

But in my language 'supporting' can be happening now.

Not in English.

We thank them for supporting us. We thank them now for supporting us now or earlier.
We thank them for having supported us. We thank them now for supporting us earlier.

Correct.

 

[Rachel Adams]

One thing is not clear to me, why ''I appreciate being invited'' is also in the past.:-? Perhaps I am being invited right now?

 

[teechar]

It needn't be in the past.

 

[Tarheel]

One thing is not clear to me, why ''I appreciate being invited'' is also in the past.:-? Perhaps I am being invited right now?

In fact, it's not in the past. You might have just been invited.

(If you really want to show your appreciation, take a gift with you. )

 

[Rachel Adams]

In fact, it's not in the past. You might have just been invited.

(If you really want to show your appreciation, take a gift with you. )

Great idea. A gift can definitely help to avoid confusion. :-D

 

[Rachel Adams]

It needn't be in the past.

Needn't be but could be just like in this example. Right?

''We thank them for supporting us. We thank them now for supporting us now or earlier''.

 

[Tarheel]

We thank them for supporting us - We thank them for the support they have given us