I've sent you this report three times in the last two weeks, and every time you failed to open it

[Tony_M]

Hello.

The dialogue is mine.

A is a subordinate.
B is a manager.

A: These figures don't look plausible to me.
B: Wait, why are you telling me that now? I've sent you this report three times in the last two weeks, and every time you failed to open it. Am I right?

Should I use the simple past or the present perfect for the part in bold?
"I've sent you this report three times" is general information emphasizing the completion of three actions in the recent past. Since all three are in the past, I'm referring to each separate action using the past simple.

Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

The past simple is correct. However, the present perfect would work too; it's just less likely from a native speaker in that sentence (in BrE, at least).

 

[teechar]

and every time you failed to open it. Am I right?

That doesn't work. Try:
... but you haven't read it, have you?
... but you haven't bothered to read it, have you?

 

[Tarheel]

Hello.

The dialogue is mine.

A is a subordinate.
B is a manager.

A: These figures don't look plausible to me.
B: Wait, why are you telling me that now? I've sent you this report three times in the last two weeks, and YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET. Am I right?



[.............]

Just like you ignore my posts.

And you haven't found the "like" button yet.

 

[Tony_M]

The past simple is correct. However, the present perfect would work too; it's just less likely from a native speaker in that sentence (in BrE, at least).

Thank you, @emsr2d2.
I'd like to clarify a couple of things.

#1. I've sent you this report three times in the last two weeks, and every time you failed to open it. -> The speaker thinks about the present result: "the present total is three times." Using "every time" is shifting focus from the present to the past, making the simple present the more preferable option.
<Present> -> <Past>

"I've sent you the report three times." | -> This Wednesday (time 3) + This Monday (time 2) + Last Monday (time 1)

#2. I've sent you this report three times in the last two weeks, and/but you haven't read/opened/checked it. -> The first part is identical to #1, but then the speaker thinks about the present result again: "now we have this situation because you haven't opened the report before now." There are two actions that have present relevance; the speaker is not referring to the past at all.

Is my understanding correct?

 

[Tarheel]

One problem is that no native speaker is ever going to say that. What somebody might say is, "Why haven't you responded to me?"

 

[jutfrank]

Should I use the simple past or the present perfect for the part in bold?

I'd suggest you use the present perfect, since you've already used it to establish the aspect. (I've sent you ... )


(That's a better question. Thank you.)

 

[Tony_M]

I'd suggest you use the present perfect, since you've already used it to establish the aspect. (I've sent you ... )


(That's a better question. Thank you.)

Thank you, @jutfrank. I'm glad you liked it, but, probably, I asked a bad one in #5.