|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Present perfect or past simple
Present perfect or past simple
|
aldonza
|
Present perfect or past simple
|
Hi,
My question is perhaps too simple but today I�m not sure about which one is the correct one.
"I have stayed/ stayed all the night up to finish the book I was reading"
which one would you use?
Thanks in advance
|
1 May 2013
|
|
|
|
cunliffe
|
|
It depends! I have stayed up all night to finish the book I was reading = recent past, or you are telling someone what you have just done. (Actually with this one, I would prefer, I have stayed up all night to finish the book I �ve been reading.)
I stayed up all night ........... That could be last week, last month, you are reporting back on a something that no longer pertains, or has any relevance to the present.
I �m sure there �ll be others who can explain this better. |
1 May 2013
|
|
|
Mariethe House
|
Well, dear Lynne, I don �t quite agree with you , will you forgive me?
I �d say the Present perfect woud imply an experience , for example: Have you ever stayed up all night,
Yes , I have stayed up all night a few times.
In this case( Aldonza �s example), it implies that the night is last night so it doesn � belong to the present and you would need the simple past: I stayed up all night.
I can imagine another situation where the Present perfect could be used: Let �s imagine I come into your staffroom tomorrow morning and I look awful ( more than I normally do) and you say:
- Oh gawwd Marieth�! You look really awful this morning! What have you been up to?
And I reply:
- Oh yes! I have been up all night!( telling you about an experience ,the results of which are clearly visible in the present!)
- You see i wanted to finish the book I have(had?) been reading and I stayed up all night!!( Now I am talking to you: The night is finished and it is morning , so the moment: "night" belongs to the past, hence the simple past )
What do you think? I am sure more eminent grammarians will submit more specific answers than my poor attempt!
|
1 May 2013
|
|
|
mariobmoreno
|
|
Well, for me I stayed up all night to finish the book I have been reading would be the most suitable option. I you want to maintain the I was reading, I think that it would be Ok as well. For me, the fact of being awake all night is a completed and past action (simple past), while the fact of reading a book is something you don �t do at once, it takes you some time (is a durative action which has lasted almost up to the present = present perfect). |
1 May 2013
|
|
|
yanogator
|
|
Actually, Mariethe, Lynne just didn �t explain herself quite specifically enough. She is saying (Forgive me, Lynne, if I am putting words into your mouth) that if dawn has just arrived, you could say "I have stayed up all night finishing the book I was reading (if I just started it in the evening)/I �ve been reading (if I started it any time before yesterday evening). If you say it any later than that, you have to use the simple past.
I hope this helps, rather than further complicating matters.
Bruce |
1 May 2013
|
|
|
cunliffe
|
|
Thank you, Bruce, Isn �t English funny? |
2 May 2013
|
|
|
aldonza
|
It is clear now.
Thank you so much to you all !!
|
2 May 2013
|
|
|
