present perfect vs simple past

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hello, everybody!

     In the fitness club Christopher ... his hand, but it's OK now.

(a) hurt
(b) has hurt

My version is (b), inasmuch as “has hurt” has a connection with “but it’s OK now”,
that is to say —> sequence of tense

Is my "direction of explaining" right?
2

That’s my option too for the same reason :slight_smile:

3

Thanks, Mr Francis! :slight_smile:

ESL/EFL experts!

Could you please confirm our option?

4

Hi Foreigner and Francesco,

I would not use the present perfect in that sentence. I would use the past simple since ‘hurt his hand’ is very clearly in the finished past. (His hand is fine now.)

This would be my preferred wording:

- Christopher hurt his hand at the fitness club, but it’s OK now.

It is not possible to justify the present perfect with a ‘sequence of tenses’ argument here. A possible justification for the present perfect would be if the past injury had some sort of impact on or connection with the present – perhaps, for example, if he had just hurt his hand a short time ago and the injury was preventing him from doing something else now. Since his hand is no longer injured, however, I don’t see the past hand injury as having any obvious present impact.

[color=darkblue]___________________________________________________
[size=75]“The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” ~ Mark Twain[/size]

5

Hi dear Amy,

Thanks a lot for your explanation. When I understand when to use either the present perfect or the past tense I’ll be the happiest man in the world.

Have a great day, I hope everything is going (not “doing” such I said in a previous message) well for you :wink:

6

(°) Obviously I meant the past SIMPLE.

7

I always face problem on talking previous events, or at past things. what Should I keep in practice for Improve it.

8

Dear ALAN!

How is your reaction to Esl_Expert?
9

If we omit the first part “In the fitness club” , as follow :
[color=green]Christopher … his hand, but it’s OK now.
Would “has hurt” be more suitable than “hurt”? Why or why not ?

Regards,
Nick

10

Hi,

We are talking about two actions ‘then’ and ‘now’. What did he do? He hurt his hand. How is his hand? It’s fine now. If you wanted to say: He has hurt his hand, you need then to refer to that action in relation to now and continue by saying for example: That’s why it looks swollen.

Alan

11

Hi Alan,

I think the problem is that it’s a quite slight difference for who is not a native speaker. Anyway, thanks once more for your explanation.

12

Hi Francis,

You will be the happiest man in the world as when you follow this way:

Past simple means specific time or it happened that has no influence right now.

You commented about this topic two hours ago.–Simple past.
I came here last Monday- Simple past.

You have commented on this topic just few hours earlier when I was out of the forum,

Present perfect(no specific time)+ past simple.

13

You can’t use the present perfect like that.
It should be:

You have commented on this topic.

14

Hi,

Actually I think the correct form of that sentence is “You commented on this topic just A few hours earlier…”. Am I wrong?

15

My writing structure was very nice and also correct that grammar knowledge you have not possessed yet.

Sorry Tort!

16

I wish I spoke gobbledegook…then we could have a conversation.

17

Tort wrote:

However, it doesn’t make any sense, does it?

18

[color=red][size=200]FOR[/size] 30 years

19

Sadly, this is probably not a case of sudden self-awareness.

20

Hi Bev! That is what they call British humour? :smiley:

Hugs :wink: