left vs has left

[ostap77]

1) "Mike left for Germany. What was he doing before he went to Sweden? He had been getting ready for the conference."(My version.I kind of simplified it)

OR

2)"Mike has left for Germany. What had he been doing before he went to Sweden? He had been getting ready for the conference."(Original text)

When there is no time indication I would use Past Simple instead of Present Perefect "John left for Sweden". Am I right? When the second speaker asked the first one "What was he doing before......" he wanted to know in general.
When the first one replied "He had been...." he specified that John did a huge amount work getting ready for the conference.

 

[msaeeds]

hi
when we just want to mention something happened in past ignoring the time we use simple past.But when we want to relate a past experience with present we use present perfect.

example
I went to Dubai.

if sb ask u abt your qualification in an interview

I have done Masters in Finance

Regards

 

[ostap77]

hi
when we just want to mention something happened in past ignoring the time we use simple past.But when we want to relate a past experience with present we use present perfect.

example
I went to Dubai.

if sb ask u abt your qualification in an interview

I have done Masters in Finance

Regards

And the whole thing ?

 

[TheParser]

1) "Mike left for Germany. What was he doing before he went to Sweden? He had been getting ready for the conference."(My version.I kind of simplified it)

OR

2)"Mike has left for Germany. What had he been doing before he went to Sweden? He had been getting ready for the conference."(Original text)

When there is no time indication I would use Past Simple instead of Present Perefect "John left for Sweden". Am I right? When the second speaker asked the first one "What was he doing before......" he wanted to know in general.
When the first one replied "He had been...." he specified that John did a huge amount work getting ready for the conference.

NOT A TEACHER

(1) You write:" When there is no time indication, I would use [the simple

past] instead of [the] present perfect. Am I right?"

(a) I think that most grammar books teach us that when there is no

time indication, we should use the PRESENT PERFECT. When there is a

time expression, we then use the PAST.

(2) One book explains it this way:

We use the present perfect when we emphasize the ACTION instead of the

time of the action. Its example:

John has seen that movie. "We connect a past action with the present

moment."

***

We use the past to describe an action at some definite time in the past.

The book's example: John saw that movie LAST WEEK.

IMPORTANT: Some books tell us that when you use the past, it is

NOT always necessary to say or write the time expression. But the time

expression must be in your mind or in the mind of your listener or reader.

(3) "Mike left for Germany" would refer to something like "yesterday,"

"last week," "one hour ago" --even if you do not actually say or

write the time expression.

(4) "Mike has left for Germany" is almost the same as:

Mike is not here now. He is on his way to Germany.

 

[ostap77]

NOT A TEACHER

(1) You write:" When there is no time indication, I would use [the simple

past] instead of [the] present perfect. Am I right?"

(a) I think that most grammar books teach us that when there is no

time indication, we should use the PRESENT PERFECT. When there is a

time expression, we then use the PAST.

(2) One book explains it this way:

We use the present perfect when we emphasize the ACTION instead of the

time of the action. Its example:

John has seen that movie. "We connect a past action with the present

moment."

***

We use the past to describe an action at some definite time in the past.

The book's example: John saw that movie LAST WEEK.

IMPORTANT: Some books tell us that when you use the past, it is

NOT always necessary to say or write the time expression. But the time

expression must be in your mind or in the mind of your listener or reader.

(3) "Mike left for Germany" would refer to something like "yesterday,"

"last week," "one hour ago" --even if you do not actually say or

write the time expression.

(4) "Mike has left for Germany" is almost the same as:

Mike is not here now. He is on his way to Germany.

What about Past Progressive mixed up with Past Perfect Progressive in the first sentence?

 

[TheParser]

What about Past Progressive mixed up with Past Perfect Progressive in the first sentence?

NOT A TEACHER

(1) I prefer the original sentence (the second sentence in your first post).

(2) But I do not know enough grammar to explain why.

(3) Hopefully, one of the teachers/moderators will answer.

 

[kenkk2]

YOU SEE? WHAT I, IN THE FIRST PLACE,HAD POSTED HERE,WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED BY SOMEONE WITH NO EXPLANATION, IS 100% CORRECT AND EFFICIENT ! DOES IT MATTER WHERE THE ASSISTANCE COMES FROM? YOU EVEN HAVE HAD NO APPRECIATION AFTER MY EFFORT TO HELP.
TO ALL, FORGIVE ME IF I SOUNDED ARROGANT, I AM MUCH BETTER THAN SOME NATIVE SPEAKERS WHEN IT COMES TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR ,THOUGH I AM NOT A TEACHER AND I AM FROM ASIA. PLEASE, SHOW RESPECT AT LEAST AND FAIR PLAY !:-(

 

[Tdol]

YOU SEE? WHAT I, IN THE FIRST PLACE,HAD POSTED HERE,WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED BY SOMEONE WITH NO EXPLANATION, IS 100% CORRECT AND EFFICIENT ! DOES IT MATTER WHERE THE ASSISTANCE COMES FROM? YOU EVEN HAVE HAD NO APPRECIATION AFTER MY EFFORT TO HELP.
TO ALL, FORGIVE ME IF I SOUNDED ARROGANT, I AM MUCH BETTER THAN SOME NATIVE SPEAKERS WHEN IT COMES TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR ,THOUGH I AM NOT A TEACHER AND I AM FROM ASIA. PLEASE, SHOW RESPECT AT LEAST AND FAIR PLAY !:-(

I have answered you in a message.

 

[kenkk2]

I have answered you in a message.

Thanks, i got it! I still do not think the problem( mine being deleted)comes from the system, I was posting many times and all are still here except the one I mentioned. Anyway, it's ok now though I wonder how many Administrators there are after you said it was not you who'd deleted it.
Best regards,
kenk

 

[e2e4]

/A learner/

I'd say

Mike's gone (left) for Germany. (He's on his way to there)
Mike went to Germany. (In a context. He's in Germany now. The travelling's over)

What had he been doing before he went to Germany?
He'd been getting ready for the conference there.

Any mistakes?:roll: