Tense question

[Jupiter]

Hi everybody

What is the correect answer?

[color=blue]When…the company?

1/ have you joined
2/ did you joined
3/ did you join
4/ have you ever joined

Explain me why it is the correct answer?

Jupiter

[Alan]

What do YOU think is the correct answer?

Alan

[Jupiter]

Hi

I think number [color=blue]3/ did you join is the correct answer but my teacher said number [color=blue]1/ have you joined is the correct answer

So what do you think?
Jupiter

[Alan]

Hi,

Yes, I would say: When did you join? also

Alan

[Jupiter]

Hi

My teacher said “1/ have you joined” is the correct answer because he think that in this sentence the asker knows that the listener works in that company so we should use present perfect BUT I don’t think so. I think we ask [color=blue]when did you join the company? to know the time when the listener joined it, we don’t care whether he/she works in that company or not.

My teacher also said that if we ask “when did you join the company?” it means that we know the listener stopped working in that company, is it right?
Anyway, you agreed to choose “3/ did you join” why did you choose it? Please give me the explanation to ensure it.

Hope to get more help
Jupiter

[Alan]

@Jamie (K)

The question is not asking about working for the company, but about joining the company. You can work for a company for 20 years, but you can’t join a company for 20 years.

Joining a company is a finite act of short duration. You make the decision or sign the contract, and it is finished. Joining lasts only a second or two. So the simple present is correct here, because the verb “join” indicates an act that finished in the past and does not continue to the present.

With “work” it’s a different story. If the person still worked there, you would use the present perfect. If he didn’t work there anymore, you would use the simple past.

[b]Hi,
I assume you mean Past Simple in paragraph 2.

Alan[/b]