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View Full Version : Stupid question? I need to know though. "has" "had"


rems
10-11-2008, 12:45 PM
If I'm asked the question, 'what does your mum say to her boss when she is late for work?'
A)She tells him (that)? she has to drive my brother to school
or
B)She tells him she has to drive my brother to school
or
C)She tells him she has had to drive my brother to school.

Or would C) be in past tense like for ' What did your mum tell her boss when she was late to work? is this right?>
She told him that she had had to drive my brother to work. or is it just one "had"?
My name should be called "think to much"

Marius Hancu
10-11-2008, 03:14 PM
These questions aren't stupid.

I'd say:

She tells him (that) she has to drive my brother to school. She tells him (that) she has had/she had to drive my brother to school. [had preferred, see the following, if you want to say what she did

She told him (that) she had had/had to drive my brother to work. [had is prefered, see Swan Practical English Usage, tense subordination in (relative) subordinates.

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Simple past verb forms are used quite often [not always!!, M.H.] in subordinate clauses instead of present perfect and past perfect tenses, if the meaning is clear

Swan, Practical English Usage
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Buy Swan, very good book.

rems
10-11-2008, 05:08 PM
I need to look up some of the words you guys use and the way you structure them. I wish I did English more in the past! I am now.