Past perfect tence vs. Present perfect tense. Are there any rules or guidelines to follow? Can anyone give me an example? I am confused.
At the same time, how do I improve my essay. I seem to be having a problem on how to explain myself in the essay.
2006-06-26 02:32:24 · 8 answers · asked by hopeless 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
Copy and paste your essay to me and I will check it, explain any mistakes and give you the correct tense.
2006-06-26 02:35:41 · answer #1 · answered by madamspud169 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Present perfect tense:
EG : I have finished my homework
We use the present to describe an action which has recently occured or has some relevance in the present.
Compare : Present perfect and simple past
I have lost my key (I am still looking for it)
I lost my key (last week, yesterday etc - I'm not looking for it any more, I found it, or I gave up and broke the door)
Past perfect - I had lost my key. This is used to describe an action which had already taken place before another one in the past. I arrived home, but I couldn't open the door because I had lost my key.
As for essay writing, the best way to improve style is to avoid repetition or writing sentence which always begin with 'the' or 'then'. Write down all the arguments of both sides of a debate or question and match them up, then explain each perspective. Decide on your conclusion and try to find a concrete example to highlight your point.
2006-06-26 02:49:57 · answer #2 · answered by Shona L 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the best thing with problems like tenses is to ask your teacher! Beware - past perfect is also known as pluperfect! Your teacher should be able to explain things much better than anyone can on a website as they can see where you are confused!
In the meantime, look them up on Wikipedia - they give explanations and examples!
As for your essay, I suggest you do it on the computer and read it out loud. Then you may see where you can explain things better. Punctuation should be where you need to take a breath.
If you are doing it in Word, ask the machine to check it for you - it will often give you new ways to word things!
(oh, and if you do it yourself, you will learn from your mistakes. Get someone else to do it and you won't. For example, if you are having problems in maths and you get a friend to work out the sums, you will not know how to do them! - although getting someone else to check your work is an easy option, I would use that solely as your last resort!)
2006-06-26 04:56:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
past tense talks about what was as opposed to what is. For example, i walk to the shop (present) as opposed to i walkED to the shop (past tense).
remember to try to explain why you have answered a question and how you have come to that conclusion. Thats how i passed my GCSEs and A Levels. They always give you extra point for explaining yourself even if you get the answer wrong.
2006-06-26 02:37:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had those same problems but muddled through and got a C, which was average when I was at school but seems to be above average now, sorry I can't help on tenses. Have you spoken to your teacher?
2006-06-26 02:37:10 · answer #5 · answered by Mummy of 2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
U must buy an English grammar book...these are essential guides to help u with ur grammar....u need practice and these books have hundred of exercises...believe me find out a good grammr book
2006-06-26 02:37:14 · answer #6 · answered by rapstar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
here you go .. all the tenses are here
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/tenses_satz.htm
2006-06-26 02:36:19 · answer #7 · answered by ♥♫♥ÇHÅTHÜ®ÏKÃ♥♫♥ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, I'd have to read it to help you.
2006-06-26 02:37:19 · answer #8 · answered by c_c_runner88 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋