| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
|
 Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:58 pm Post subject: Grammar question past vs. past p + once |
 |
|
I have a quick question:
We saw / have seen a dolphin show once.
Which answer is grammatically correct?
Thank you! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
|
| Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 6:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| They both could be. Depends on the context |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
|
| Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 6:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for your reply. At first I thought either could be possible - so I thought I was missing something. There is no context - it's just an
exercise question. What can I give for a reason that both
choices are grammatically acceptable? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
comm
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
|
| Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 7:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| raewon wrote: |
What can I give for a reason that both
choices are grammatically acceptable? |
The example is complicated by the word "once". It implies that the speaker is explaining that they have, in fact, seen a dolphin show before and done so exactly one time.
If I asked: "Have you ever eaten an apple?"
You would probably say: Yes, I have eaten an apple.
But probably not: I ate an apple.
On the other hand, you could respond: Yes, I've eaten an apple once.
Or you could say: I ate an apple once. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 8:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
We saw / have seen a dolphin show once.
Which answer is grammatically correct? |
Depends on what you want to say.
"We have seen a dolphin show once."
Usually, it would be "I have seen", but if you are talking about you and someone else, then this means you are stating something you have done at least once and might do again later.
It also means you "did" something expected, possibly earlier than expected or even did it at all. (ex. "Yes, I have done my homework.")
"We saw a dolphin show once."
This is kind of strange because we don't usually talk about 1 past event and then say it happened once. (ex. "I saw the car accident once.")
However, it makes more sense in a sentence like, "We tried the ferris wheel ride once." You could have done it a few times.
If you say, "We ate at that restaurant once.", then it is not so much counting the number of times but it draws our attention to that event. There would be more sentences following to explain what happened.
It's not that black and white as you might think. Look at the context and other sentences involved to see if it is appropriate or not. However, this may not have been a serious thread but someone collecting info.
I have clarifications for those serious minded folk who might reply that my reply is not really addressing the original thread. I just want to make sure there is genuine interest before I elaborate. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Privateer
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
|
| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 12:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
Have you ever seen a dolphin show?
Yes, we saw a dolphin show once (i.e. at some time in the past).
How many times have you seen a dolphin show?
We've seen a dolphin show once (i.e. one time). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
|
| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 1:33 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thank you for all the replies.
YTMND wrote:
| Quote: |
| It's not that black and white as you might think. Look at the context and other sentences involved to see if it is appropriate or not. However, this may not have been a serious thread but someone collecting info. |
As I stated above, there is no context. It's just a sentence from an exercise sheet where students are to circle the correct (only one) answer. I couldn't
solve the question because I thought both might be possible. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 2:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
To me:
"I saw a dolphin show once" - sounds like an introduction to a more detailed story to follow (i.e. I saw a dolphin show once, the poor buggers had to swim non-stop for an hour and a half around the pool..."). In other words, the "once" acts as a substitute meaning "at some point in the past, exactly when is not important" as a lead in to the important details of the event.
"I have seen a dolphin show once" sounds more natural as a standalone sentence, as it the tense marker makes it clear that it is only concerned with the number of times the event has been experienced. So that is the more correct answer in the absence of additional context, but it's a terrible question for an exercise. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 2:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
| raewon wrote: |
Thank you for all the replies.
YTMND wrote:
| Quote: |
| It's not that black and white as you might think. Look at the context and other sentences involved to see if it is appropriate or not. However, this may not have been a serious thread but someone collecting info. |
As I stated above, there is no context. It's just a sentence from an exercise sheet where students are to circle the correct (only one) answer. I couldn't
solve the question because I thought both might be possible. |
In that case, it is too vague to discern. I would focus on the word "we". "Have seen" is less likely to happen in this case. Was the answer, "We saw"?
If so, tick the explanation off as being past tense with group activities. Logically speaking if you said, "We have seen" then it would have to mean you knew what others would do in the future. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
|
| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 3:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
| YTMND: I'm pretty sure no one has any idea what you're trying to say. Not just in this thread. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 4:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
| schwa wrote: |
| YTMND: I'm pretty sure no one has any idea what you're trying to say. Not just in this thread. |
Well, start with your own words:
I'm pretty sure
Why didn't you say, "We're pretty sure"? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Thiuda
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Location: Religion ist f�r Sklaven geschaffen, f�r Wesen ohne Geist.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
|
| Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Grammar question past vs. past p + once |
|
|
Bingo
'have seen' would be Present Perfect which CAN NOT be used with a time limiter such as 'once'.
The grammatically correct sentence would be 'We saw a dolphin show once.'
The amount of misinformation on these boards every time a grammar question comes up is astounding, especially considering all of you are supposed to be English teachers. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
The Cosmic Hum
Joined: 09 May 2003
Location: Sonic Space
|
| Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:34 pm Post subject: Re: Grammar question past vs. past p + once |
|
|
| SeoulNate wrote: |
Bingo
'have seen' would be Present Perfect which CAN NOT be used with a time limiter such as 'once'.
The grammatically correct sentence would be 'We saw a dolphin show once.'
The amount of misinformation on these boards every time a grammar question comes up is astounding, especially considering all of you are supposed to be English teachers. |
ouch.
The fact that some overlooked the grammatical verb tense in the thread title...does not mean that they were all giving incorrect information in the thread itself.
Thiuda is making a clever observation...but adds little more than that.
The OP was not asking about grammar tense...only which alternative was correct.
Given the OP...some good advice was offered in this thread.
Both are possible...given the correct context.
| Quote: |
Bingo
'have seen' would be Present Perfect which CAN NOT be used with a time limiter such as 'once'. |
I don't think you are using the term 'Bingo' correctly, as your comment that follows is absolute nonsense.
Did you even bother to read the link that was posted by Thiuda?
They give an example almost identical to the OP
| Quote: |
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
You have only seen that movie one time.
Have you only seen that movie one time? |
oh...and along with this..
| Quote: |
USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once,many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples:
I have seen that movie twenty times.
I think I have met him once before. |
Anyway...just saying. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
|
| Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 10:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
'have seen' would be Present Perfect which CAN NOT be used with a time limiter such as 'once'.
The grammatically correct sentence would be 'We saw a dolphin show once.'
The amount of misinformation on these boards every time a grammar question comes up is astounding, especially considering all of you are supposed to be English teachers.
 |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
