Completed action in the past lead to an ongoing action - which tense to use?
I am a bit confused about the proper tense for the following situation. I try to make an example:
A couple of weeks ago I talked to someone. We have not talked or communicated in any way again since then. So this action is completed and lies in the past.
This talk lead to an action that takes place right now. So it is ongoing and in the present. Which form is grammatically correct:
- After a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
or even
- After having had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
- After I had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
Thank you very much in advance for your answer!
tenses past-tense simple-past-vs-past-perfect
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
add a comment |
I am a bit confused about the proper tense for the following situation. I try to make an example:
A couple of weeks ago I talked to someone. We have not talked or communicated in any way again since then. So this action is completed and lies in the past.
This talk lead to an action that takes place right now. So it is ongoing and in the present. Which form is grammatically correct:
- After a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
or even
- After having had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
- After I had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
Thank you very much in advance for your answer!
tenses past-tense simple-past-vs-past-perfect
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
Talking with Y last week led me to writing this sentence today. Or My talk with Y last week led to me writing this sentence today.
– Jim
Jan 6 at 20:57
add a comment |
I am a bit confused about the proper tense for the following situation. I try to make an example:
A couple of weeks ago I talked to someone. We have not talked or communicated in any way again since then. So this action is completed and lies in the past.
This talk lead to an action that takes place right now. So it is ongoing and in the present. Which form is grammatically correct:
- After a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
or even
- After having had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
- After I had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
Thank you very much in advance for your answer!
tenses past-tense simple-past-vs-past-perfect
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
I am a bit confused about the proper tense for the following situation. I try to make an example:
A couple of weeks ago I talked to someone. We have not talked or communicated in any way again since then. So this action is completed and lies in the past.
This talk lead to an action that takes place right now. So it is ongoing and in the present. Which form is grammatically correct:
- After a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I write this sentence.
- After a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
- After having a talk with Y, I am writing this sentence.
or even
- After having had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
- After I had a talk with Y, I write / am writing this sentence.
Thank you very much in advance for your answer!
tenses past-tense simple-past-vs-past-perfect
tenses past-tense simple-past-vs-past-perfect
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
edited Jan 6 at 14:18
kalle
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
asked Jan 6 at 13:19
kallekalle
1376
1376
Talking with Y last week led me to writing this sentence today. Or My talk with Y last week led to me writing this sentence today.
– Jim
Jan 6 at 20:57
add a comment |
Talking with Y last week led me to writing this sentence today. Or My talk with Y last week led to me writing this sentence today.
– Jim
Jan 6 at 20:57
Talking with Y last week led me to writing this sentence today. Or My talk with Y last week led to me writing this sentence today.
– Jim
Jan 6 at 20:57
Talking with Y last week led me to writing this sentence today. Or My talk with Y last week led to me writing this sentence today.
– Jim
Jan 6 at 20:57
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
That unqualified use of after will always make people think it means directly after, so all of those are more confusing than things that are more explicit:
- I talked with X a few weeks back, but am only just now writing about it.
- Having talked with X a couple weeks ago, I’m now writing about what I learned then.
You can also use had in many narrative styles:
- I had talked with X about all this two week ago; now I’m finally getting around to writing about what I learned during our talk.
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
Thank you very much for thinking a bit out-of-the-box! What about the combination of after and a more explicit "time-stamp", such as "After an talk with X last month, I write"?
– kalle
Jan 6 at 15:39
@kalle That's not too bad, although the simple present should in most circumstances be written as a progressive like am writing. Not always though.
– tchrist♦
Jan 6 at 16:01
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
Jan 6 at 16:33
add a comment |
I see no difference between "After a talk with" and "After having a talk with"! Also, when you are writing about an ongoing action in the present, you need to use present continuous.
Therefore, I would choose number 3 and 4.
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
That unqualified use of after will always make people think it means directly after, so all of those are more confusing than things that are more explicit:
- I talked with X a few weeks back, but am only just now writing about it.
- Having talked with X a couple weeks ago, I’m now writing about what I learned then.
You can also use had in many narrative styles:
- I had talked with X about all this two week ago; now I’m finally getting around to writing about what I learned during our talk.
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
Thank you very much for thinking a bit out-of-the-box! What about the combination of after and a more explicit "time-stamp", such as "After an talk with X last month, I write"?
– kalle
Jan 6 at 15:39
@kalle That's not too bad, although the simple present should in most circumstances be written as a progressive like am writing. Not always though.
– tchrist♦
Jan 6 at 16:01
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
Jan 6 at 16:33
add a comment |
That unqualified use of after will always make people think it means directly after, so all of those are more confusing than things that are more explicit:
- I talked with X a few weeks back, but am only just now writing about it.
- Having talked with X a couple weeks ago, I’m now writing about what I learned then.
You can also use had in many narrative styles:
- I had talked with X about all this two week ago; now I’m finally getting around to writing about what I learned during our talk.
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
Thank you very much for thinking a bit out-of-the-box! What about the combination of after and a more explicit "time-stamp", such as "After an talk with X last month, I write"?
– kalle
Jan 6 at 15:39
@kalle That's not too bad, although the simple present should in most circumstances be written as a progressive like am writing. Not always though.
– tchrist♦
Jan 6 at 16:01
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
Jan 6 at 16:33
add a comment |
That unqualified use of after will always make people think it means directly after, so all of those are more confusing than things that are more explicit:
- I talked with X a few weeks back, but am only just now writing about it.
- Having talked with X a couple weeks ago, I’m now writing about what I learned then.
You can also use had in many narrative styles:
- I had talked with X about all this two week ago; now I’m finally getting around to writing about what I learned during our talk.
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
That unqualified use of after will always make people think it means directly after, so all of those are more confusing than things that are more explicit:
- I talked with X a few weeks back, but am only just now writing about it.
- Having talked with X a couple weeks ago, I’m now writing about what I learned then.
You can also use had in many narrative styles:
- I had talked with X about all this two week ago; now I’m finally getting around to writing about what I learned during our talk.
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
answered Jan 6 at 15:17
tchrist♦tchrist
109k28290464
109k28290464
Thank you very much for thinking a bit out-of-the-box! What about the combination of after and a more explicit "time-stamp", such as "After an talk with X last month, I write"?
– kalle
Jan 6 at 15:39
@kalle That's not too bad, although the simple present should in most circumstances be written as a progressive like am writing. Not always though.
– tchrist♦
Jan 6 at 16:01
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
Jan 6 at 16:33
add a comment |
Thank you very much for thinking a bit out-of-the-box! What about the combination of after and a more explicit "time-stamp", such as "After an talk with X last month, I write"?
– kalle
Jan 6 at 15:39
@kalle That's not too bad, although the simple present should in most circumstances be written as a progressive like am writing. Not always though.
– tchrist♦
Jan 6 at 16:01
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
Jan 6 at 16:33
Thank you very much for thinking a bit out-of-the-box! What about the combination of after and a more explicit "time-stamp", such as "After an talk with X last month, I write"?
– kalle
Jan 6 at 15:39
Thank you very much for thinking a bit out-of-the-box! What about the combination of after and a more explicit "time-stamp", such as "After an talk with X last month, I write"?
– kalle
Jan 6 at 15:39
@kalle That's not too bad, although the simple present should in most circumstances be written as a progressive like am writing. Not always though.
– tchrist♦
Jan 6 at 16:01
@kalle That's not too bad, although the simple present should in most circumstances be written as a progressive like am writing. Not always though.
– tchrist♦
Jan 6 at 16:01
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
Jan 6 at 16:33
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
Jan 6 at 16:33
add a comment |
I see no difference between "After a talk with" and "After having a talk with"! Also, when you are writing about an ongoing action in the present, you need to use present continuous.
Therefore, I would choose number 3 and 4.
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
add a comment |
I see no difference between "After a talk with" and "After having a talk with"! Also, when you are writing about an ongoing action in the present, you need to use present continuous.
Therefore, I would choose number 3 and 4.
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
add a comment |
I see no difference between "After a talk with" and "After having a talk with"! Also, when you are writing about an ongoing action in the present, you need to use present continuous.
Therefore, I would choose number 3 and 4.
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
I see no difference between "After a talk with" and "After having a talk with"! Also, when you are writing about an ongoing action in the present, you need to use present continuous.
Therefore, I would choose number 3 and 4.
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
answered Jan 6 at 14:51
BeatsMeBeatsMe
392212
392212
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Talking with Y last week led me to writing this sentence today. Or My talk with Y last week led to me writing this sentence today.
– Jim
Jan 6 at 20:57