adding ed

[Tdol]

'Do' is wrong there because it doesn't fit the time- if you mean now, use 'are doing'. ;-)

 

[jack]

'Do' is wrong there because it doesn't fit the time- if you mean now, use 'are doing'. ;-)

I don't get it, why doesn't it fit the time. what part of the sentence makes it doesn't fit with time?

"It is unlikely that they do something like this since they never used this before."

"It is unlikely that they are doing something like this since they never used this before."

 

[Tdol]

The second is a possible sentence, but it sounds a bit strained and would require some context to explain it. However, it is an improvement on the first.;-)

 

[jack]

"I always wanted to get one." <--corect? why? what does it mean? Does it mean he/she wanted one before but now he/she doesnt want one?
"I always want to get one." <--corect? why? what does it mean? Does this mean he/she want to get one and still does?

 

[Casiopea]

"I always wanted to get one." <--corect? why? what does it mean? Does it mean he/she wanted one before but now he/she doesnt want one?
"I always want to get one." <--corect? why? what does it mean? Does this mean he/she want to get one and still does?

'always wanted' refers to the Past, whereas 'always want' refers to the habitual.

EX: I always want to do my best but sometimes the situation makes that difficult.

EX: In the past, I always wanted to do my best but now I just do what I can and hope for the best.

All the best,

 

[jack]

"It looks like you never shot a gun in your life." <--correct? why? what does it mean?

"It looks like you never shoot a gun in your life." <--correct? why? what does it mean?

 

[Tdol]

The first is OK, though I would say 'like you have never fired'.;-)

 

[jack]

"It looks like you never shoot a gun in your life." <--why is shoot incorrect?

"It looks like you have "killed" him." <--correct?

 

[Tdol]

"It looks like you never shoot a gun in your life." <--why is shoot incorrect?

It is possible if you mean that you don't think the person is in the habit of shooting a gun, rather than referring to an instance in the past.

"It looks like you have "killed" him." <--correct?

That's fine, though many would recommend using 'as if' instead of 'like' before a verb. ;-)

 

[Casiopea]

"It looks like you never shoot a gun in your life." <--why is shoot incorrect?

"It looks like you have "killed" him." <--correct?

This is a great example of the Present Pefect merging with the Simple Past:

It looks like you (have) never shot a gun in your life.

The speaker has omitted the Present Perfect marker 'have'.

All the best,

 

[jack]

What happened to you? <--correct? why?
What happen to you? <--correct? why?

What killed you? <--correct? why?
What kill you? <--correct? why?

What harmed you? <--correct? why?
What harm you? <--correct? why?

What brings you here? <--correct? why?
What bought you here? <--correct? why?

 

[Tdol]

What happened to you? <--correct- because whatever it was, it was in the past

What happen to you? <--incorrect. In the present it would be 'happens' and it would need more context because it would be a repeated action- 'What happens to you when you get home late?'

What killed you? <--correct? why? Correct, but why are you asking a dead person a question? They can't reply.

What kill you? <--correct? why? Incorrect

What harmed you? <--correct? why?
What harm you? <--correct? why? Incorrect

These examples are basically the same- the past makes sense in all of them. The present would require more context and would always have an 's' on the end.

What brings you here? <--correct? why?
What bought you here? <--correct? why?
Both are cporrect- it depends on the timing of the question. I'd use the present when the person is just arriving and the past later on.;-)

 

[jack]

These examples are basically the same- the past makes sense in all of them. The present would require more context and would always have an 's' on the end.

What brings you here? <--so this is incorrect? what do you mean by more context and always require a "s" in the end?

 

[Casiopea]

These examples are basically the same- the past makes sense in all of them. The present would require more context and would always have an 's' on the end.

What brings you here? <--so this is incorrect? what do you mean by more context and always require a "s" in the end?

What happens to you now?
What kills you? (i.e. fills you with strong emotion)
What harms you?
What brings you here?

Note, all the verbs end in -s.

Verbs ending in -s agree in number with 3rd person subjects. Our subject 'What' refers to a 3rd person pronoun (it):

I get fired is what happens to me now.
It is what happens to me now. It = What
What happens to you now?

It kills you; It harms you; It brings you.

All the best,

 

[jack]

"It got changed." <--correct? why? what does this mean? how do i use this?
"It gets changed." <--correct? why? what does this mean? how do i use this?

"It got change." <--incorrect? why
"It gets change." <--incorrect? why

 

[Casiopea]

"It got changed." Someone changed it.
"It gets changed." Someone changes it routinely.
"It got change." 'change' functions as a participle. It needs -ed)
"It gets change." Same as above.

 

[jack]

"I remember that I bought this car 5 years ago ." <---incorrect?
"I remembered that I bought this car 5 years ago ." <---this is correct right?

 

[Francois]

Both are correct.

FRC

 

[Casiopea]

I agree.

1. I remember (now) that I bought this car 5 years ago.
2. I just then remembered that I (had) bought this car 5 years ago.

(had) is optional.

 

[Francois]

I just then remembered that I (had) bought this car 5 years ago

Can you use the past perfect here?
E.g. http://teachers.englishclub.com/forums/index.pl?noframes;read=2333

FRC