Past simple or Present Perfect

Metamorfose · Post by **Metamorfose** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:51 pm

This excert conversation is taken from Explorations 1- workbook- Oxford University press page 11:

Jody: Lisa? Is that you? Wow! You've changed a lot since the last time I saw you.

Lisa: Hi, Jody! Yes, well, I 've lost a little weight

(and the conversation goes on..)

Jody: Well, I have to run. I've loved seeing you.
Lisa: Me too. Call me soon.
Jody: I will. take care. Bye!

A teacher of English told me that I am supposed to use the past simple and not the present perfect in I've loved seeing you. What do you native speakers think? May I use both ( I believe so) or is my friend right?

José

Stephen Jones · Post by **Stephen Jones** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:48 pm

As a British speaker I would say the Present Perfect is obligatory here because she's still with the person.
i loved seeing you.
would imply that this was true before but something happened to change that (and now she can't stand the other person).

I'd say It's been lovely seeing you rather than I've loved but that's another issue.

Lighthouse1971b · Post by **Lighthouse1971b** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 6:15 am

Stephen Jones wrote:I'd say It's been lovely seeing you rather than I've loved but that's another issue.

Yes, frankly "I've loved seeing you" and "I loved seeing you" both clang for me as a Canadian. I think that's merely a style issue, though. I agree with Steven that the first one makes more sense grammatically.

I would quite happily say, "It's been great seeing you," and that's in the present perfect.

lolwhites · Post by **lolwhites** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 6:36 pm

I'm a Brit and think they're both OK in the context given, though I, like Stephen, prefer Present Perfect. Of course ,if you were to write a letter or phone the next day, Past Simple would be obligatory.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Sun May 02, 2004 12:22 am

I'd say "seeing" is being used with two slightly different meanings:

I loved seeing you again. -Literal use of "see" referring to the actual moment of meeting again. Recent past, but still past.

I loved seeing you again. -Referring to the time from the actual moment of meeting to and including the parting time. "Seeing you" as "chatting/talking" or similar.

Still, I feel that the perfect form suggests to the listener that you will carry the lovely feeling with you for a time after parting.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Sun May 02, 2004 12:45 am

Stephen Jones wrote:As a British speaker I would say the Present Perfect is obligatory here because she's still with the person.
i loved seeing you.
would imply that this was true before but something happened to change that (and now she can't stand the other person).

I'd say It's been lovely seeing you rather than I've loved but that's another issue.

This would have been a hell of an answer:

One class of mundane propositions that are difficult to classify as physical or mental comprises those that describe acts of observation of external bodies, for example, "I see an aeroplane". Is this intended to mean, "I experience the visual image of an aeroplane" or, "The optical image of a material aeroplane has formed on the retinae of my eyes and this pattern has been cognised by my brain"?

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~ursa/phil ... m#argument

zaneth · Post by **zaneth** » Thu May 06, 2004 6:00 pm

Yes, as an American I'd use a different phrase, one in the perfect. "It's been great seeing you" perhaps.

I can't agree with the idea that it refers to the actual moment of first seeing the person. "I'm glad I caught you" or "I'm glad I saw you before you left" would seem natural. Or maybe if you caught up with them back stage after a performance that you'd watched: "I loved seeing you on stage again."

The -ing part gives it a longer action than just the moment of spotting them. Also seems like the 'loved' has some length to it as well. State verb, even though it's simple it has a feeling of duration. And the explanation for the second example exactly describes why the perfect should be used.

It's a nice point about the warm fuzzy feeling carrying into the future, as with other uses of the perfect, though it could just be said out of politeness and trying to get rid of the other person.

Duncan Powrie · Post by **Duncan Powrie** » Sat May 08, 2004 7:54 am

Well, it was nice reading all this, and I('ve) really enjoyed myself, but I'm afraid I have to/I've got to get back to work now...