Who broke/has broken the glass?

[subhajit123]

Hi everyone, I have a question for you. Suppose in a house there are two children. One day one of them broke a glass. Then their mother arrived in the house. If the mother wants to know who broke the glass, which question should she ask her children: 'who broke the glass?' or 'who has broken the glass?"

Can both the questions be asked in this kind context? Which one do you prefer?

It's a self-made question. Please forgive me if there is anything wrong in the question.

 

[Rover_KE]

Re: Usage of tenses

Please note that I have changed your thread title.

'Thread titles should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.'

 

[Phaedrus]

Re: Usage of tenses

which question should she ask her children: 'who broke the glass?' or 'who has broken the glass?"

Another natural question there would be: "How did this happen?"
I find that much more natural than this: "How has this happened?"

 

[emsr2d2]

I imagine the mother standing with a very disapproving look on her face, staring at the broken shards of glass on the floor and saying "OK. Who did this?" or even a very simple "So ..." with an expectant look on her face. The children would know what her question was without her saying it.