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 sp-vs-past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
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kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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 sp-vs-past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
New contributor
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
2 days ago
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 sp-vs-past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
New contributor
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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 sp-vs-past-perfect
tenses past-tense sp-vs-past-perfect
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
New contributor
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
New contributor
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 2 days ago
kalle
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
New contributor
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
asked 2 days ago
kallekalle
1286
1286
New contributor
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
kalle is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
2 days ago
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
2 days ago
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
2 days ago
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
2 days ago
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 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
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
2 days ago
@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♦
2 days ago
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
2 days ago
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 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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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 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
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
2 days ago
@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♦
2 days ago
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
2 days ago
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 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
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
2 days ago
@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♦
2 days ago
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
2 days ago
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 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
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 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
answered 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
answered 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
answered 2 days ago
tchrist♦tchrist
108k28290464
108k28290464
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
2 days ago
@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♦
2 days ago
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
2 days ago
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
2 days ago
@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♦
2 days ago
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
2 days ago
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
2 days ago
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
2 days ago
@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♦
2 days ago
@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♦
2 days ago
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
2 days ago
"Not always though." would refer to which circumstances? Thank you very much for your elaboration!
– kalle
2 days ago
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 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
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 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
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 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
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 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
answered 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
answered 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
answered 2 days ago
BeatsMeBeatsMe
357112
357112
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
2 days ago