How to use "now that" & "once" to make up sentences grammartically correct?

Question

I know this may sound stupid, but since I'm new here in the U.S., I've been trying my best to pick up more English. Now I need to know how to use "now that" or "once" to make up sentences with the proper tenses. Since my garammar's so poor, you'd better give me some examples. Thanks very much.

Answer 1

"Now that" and "Once" are indications of imperfect (transitional) tense. If you take a sentence such as:

You have the water at a boil, add the eggs

Now, this has two conflicting tenses unmarked- present perfect (its complete at the present time) and future imperative (telling them to do something).

If you add "now that" so the sentence is:

Now that you have the water at a boil, add the eggs

You now have a subordinate causality clause, not a tensed statement- so the statement is saying "the water is at a boil, so its time for eggs"

If you add "Once", the sentence becomes two future imperative statments, the first is a future triggering action. Having the whole sentence in future tense makes it grammatical without subordinating anything. So now, adding the eggs is pre-ordained as happening as soon as the water boils.

"Now that" and "Once" will only be gramatical if the sentence has a dual or more clause structure: So this isn't right:

Now that the dog has her bone.

It is also possible to say "You have the water at a boil? Add the eggs" but this is a questioning/imperative with a hidden question statement, but that's not related to tense grammaticalisation.

Answer 2

Not a stupid question at all. The difference is this- "now that" refers to an event that has already occured. "Once" refers to an event, either imminent or in the future, that has not yet occurred.

Here's a couple sentences using both to illustrate the difference:

"Once the teacher's gone, we can talk about this weekend."
"Now that the teacher's gone, we can talk about this weekend."
In the first example, the teacher is still in the room. In the second, she's left.

"Once I pass the test, I will be an American citizen."
"Now that I have passed the test, I am an American citizen."
Again, in the first example, I haven't passed the test yet- in the second, I have. In the first one, I talk about what WILL happen when I pass the test- in the second, what HAS happened BECAUSE I passed the test.

I hope that helps!

Answer 3

Jason R. got it on the dot! i couldnt of said it any better. good luck with your english!

Answer 4

You first need to know that you spelled something wrong..it's grammatically. OK?