''Oh dear, what happened or has happened to you?

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

These examples are from the same book. Advanced English C.A.E. I underlined my choices. I am not sure, if the present perfect is also possible in both of them.
Past Simple or present perfect?

''Oh dear, what happened or has happenedto you? You look as though you have seen a ghost''. (with 'see' I used only the present perfect)

''Where did you buy/ or have you bought these trousers? They are fantastic!''

 

[Yankee]

Re: Past Simple or present perfect?

Hello.

These examples are from the same book. Advanced English C.A.E. I underlined my choices. I am not sure, if the present perfect is also possible in both of them.
Past Simple or present perfect?

''Oh dear, what happened or has happened to you? You look as though you have seen a ghost''. (with 'see' I used only the present perfect) "Happened" would be appropriate in that circumstance when the observation occurred at the moment of meeting. "Has happened" could be used, for example, when the speaker has noticed a change in appearance or condition since the last time they met.

''Where did you buy/ or have you bought these trousers? They are fantastic!'' "Buy"

My shot.

 

[Rover_KE]

Please note that I have improved your thread title. You have too many thread titles which just mention names of tenses.

 

[emsr2d2]

If you remove "to you", both "What happened?" and "What's happened?" are possible (in BrE).

 

[Rachel Adams]

Thank you. I will not use the same title again.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Why does the use of either of them depend on ''to you?'' You said both are possible if I remove ''to you.''

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: Past Simple or present perfect?

"Happened" would be appropriate in that circumstance when the observation occurred at the moment of meeting. I thought it should be the present perfect if it has just happened.

 

[emsr2d2]

Why does the use of either of them depend on ''to you?'' You said both are possible if I remove ''to you.''

I'm not sure I can explain it grammatically but I would find "Oh dear, what's happened to you?" unnatural and extremely uncommon. However, "Oh dear, what's happened?" is natural. It is far more likely, though, that you will hear "Oh dear. What happened?"