Present perfect tense and specific time expression?












2














According to many grammar textbooks, present perfect tense should not be used with specific time expression. Therefore, it is grammatically wrong to say "I have sold my house on 10 December 2018."
However, I often see this type of sentence in the writings from the United States:
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official Seal of said City this 26th day of August, 1954.
Questions:
Does the word 'this' make it an exception that 'present perfect tense' can be used with specific time expression in this construction?
or
Is the use of present perfect tense with specific time expression allowed only in American English?






grammar usage present-perfect







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  • The tense seems redundant if you mention a specific date. "I sold my house on 10 December 2018" says the same thing in fewer words. In regards to the American English usage, I wouldn't say its common. The example you gave seems to be very formal, perhaps a speech or legal statement, which may bend the rules to add emotion/emphasis/flow/procedure. Also - your example seems to come from 1954, usage rules have evolved a lot since then.
    – Balaz2ta
    18 hours ago












  • We are required to show background research effort to avoid the question being closed.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • This is not much of American English.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago
















2














According to many grammar textbooks, present perfect tense should not be used with specific time expression. Therefore, it is grammatically wrong to say "I have sold my house on 10 December 2018."
However, I often see this type of sentence in the writings from the United States:
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official Seal of said City this 26th day of August, 1954.
Questions:
Does the word 'this' make it an exception that 'present perfect tense' can be used with specific time expression in this construction?
or
Is the use of present perfect tense with specific time expression allowed only in American English?






grammar usage present-perfect







share|improve this question









New contributor




Tanchnit Rhutnkzin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.




















  • The tense seems redundant if you mention a specific date. "I sold my house on 10 December 2018" says the same thing in fewer words. In regards to the American English usage, I wouldn't say its common. The example you gave seems to be very formal, perhaps a speech or legal statement, which may bend the rules to add emotion/emphasis/flow/procedure. Also - your example seems to come from 1954, usage rules have evolved a lot since then.
    – Balaz2ta
    18 hours ago












  • We are required to show background research effort to avoid the question being closed.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • This is not much of American English.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago














2












2








2







According to many grammar textbooks, present perfect tense should not be used with specific time expression. Therefore, it is grammatically wrong to say "I have sold my house on 10 December 2018."
However, I often see this type of sentence in the writings from the United States:
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official Seal of said City this 26th day of August, 1954.
Questions:
Does the word 'this' make it an exception that 'present perfect tense' can be used with specific time expression in this construction?
or
Is the use of present perfect tense with specific time expression allowed only in American English?






grammar usage present-perfect







share|improve this question









New contributor




Tanchnit Rhutnkzin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











According to many grammar textbooks, present perfect tense should not be used with specific time expression. Therefore, it is grammatically wrong to say "I have sold my house on 10 December 2018."
However, I often see this type of sentence in the writings from the United States:
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official Seal of said City this 26th day of August, 1954.
Questions:
Does the word 'this' make it an exception that 'present perfect tense' can be used with specific time expression in this construction?
or
Is the use of present perfect tense with specific time expression allowed only in American English?






grammar usage present-perfect




grammar usage present-perfect






share|improve this question









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Tanchnit Rhutnkzin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









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Tanchnit Rhutnkzin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 15 hours ago









Omega Krypton

228213




228213






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asked 18 hours ago









Tanchnit Rhutnkzin

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New contributor





Tanchnit Rhutnkzin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






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Check out our Code of Conduct.












  • The tense seems redundant if you mention a specific date. "I sold my house on 10 December 2018" says the same thing in fewer words. In regards to the American English usage, I wouldn't say its common. The example you gave seems to be very formal, perhaps a speech or legal statement, which may bend the rules to add emotion/emphasis/flow/procedure. Also - your example seems to come from 1954, usage rules have evolved a lot since then.
    – Balaz2ta
    18 hours ago












  • We are required to show background research effort to avoid the question being closed.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • This is not much of American English.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago


















  • The tense seems redundant if you mention a specific date. "I sold my house on 10 December 2018" says the same thing in fewer words. In regards to the American English usage, I wouldn't say its common. The example you gave seems to be very formal, perhaps a speech or legal statement, which may bend the rules to add emotion/emphasis/flow/procedure. Also - your example seems to come from 1954, usage rules have evolved a lot since then.
    – Balaz2ta
    18 hours ago












  • We are required to show background research effort to avoid the question being closed.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • This is not much of American English.
    – Kris
    14 hours ago
















The tense seems redundant if you mention a specific date. "I sold my house on 10 December 2018" says the same thing in fewer words. In regards to the American English usage, I wouldn't say its common. The example you gave seems to be very formal, perhaps a speech or legal statement, which may bend the rules to add emotion/emphasis/flow/procedure. Also - your example seems to come from 1954, usage rules have evolved a lot since then.
– Balaz2ta
18 hours ago






The tense seems redundant if you mention a specific date. "I sold my house on 10 December 2018" says the same thing in fewer words. In regards to the American English usage, I wouldn't say its common. The example you gave seems to be very formal, perhaps a speech or legal statement, which may bend the rules to add emotion/emphasis/flow/procedure. Also - your example seems to come from 1954, usage rules have evolved a lot since then.
– Balaz2ta
18 hours ago














We are required to show background research effort to avoid the question being closed.
– Kris
14 hours ago




We are required to show background research effort to avoid the question being closed.
– Kris
14 hours ago












This is not much of American English.
– Kris
14 hours ago




This is not much of American English.
– Kris
14 hours ago










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















2














The signer of a legal document is not narrating a past event, as in your example




I sold my house on 10 Dec. 2018.




but testifying that he/she has very recently signed and applied an official seal to the document on a specific date.



This usage is called the present perfect of the recent past. The whereof and hereunto are also clues that legal jargon is filled with 18th and 19th century forms which have no bearing on present day English.






share|improve this answer























  • Jargon apart, it's still a valid and necessary structuring. Btw, this is present perfect, not past perfect. Also, rather than a recent event, it's an event that has relevence to the present (context).
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • Oops, past perfect of the recent past would be an interesting tense. Corrected. I disagree with your analysis, as the relevAnce of the document doesn't affect how the event is depicted. Validity also doesn't enter into the mix because simple past would be just as valid if custom didn't suggest otherwise.
    – KarlG
    10 hours ago











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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

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oldest

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active

oldest

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2














The signer of a legal document is not narrating a past event, as in your example




I sold my house on 10 Dec. 2018.




but testifying that he/she has very recently signed and applied an official seal to the document on a specific date.



This usage is called the present perfect of the recent past. The whereof and hereunto are also clues that legal jargon is filled with 18th and 19th century forms which have no bearing on present day English.






share|improve this answer























  • Jargon apart, it's still a valid and necessary structuring. Btw, this is present perfect, not past perfect. Also, rather than a recent event, it's an event that has relevence to the present (context).
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • Oops, past perfect of the recent past would be an interesting tense. Corrected. I disagree with your analysis, as the relevAnce of the document doesn't affect how the event is depicted. Validity also doesn't enter into the mix because simple past would be just as valid if custom didn't suggest otherwise.
    – KarlG
    10 hours ago
















2














The signer of a legal document is not narrating a past event, as in your example




I sold my house on 10 Dec. 2018.




but testifying that he/she has very recently signed and applied an official seal to the document on a specific date.



This usage is called the present perfect of the recent past. The whereof and hereunto are also clues that legal jargon is filled with 18th and 19th century forms which have no bearing on present day English.






share|improve this answer























  • Jargon apart, it's still a valid and necessary structuring. Btw, this is present perfect, not past perfect. Also, rather than a recent event, it's an event that has relevence to the present (context).
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • Oops, past perfect of the recent past would be an interesting tense. Corrected. I disagree with your analysis, as the relevAnce of the document doesn't affect how the event is depicted. Validity also doesn't enter into the mix because simple past would be just as valid if custom didn't suggest otherwise.
    – KarlG
    10 hours ago














2












2








2






The signer of a legal document is not narrating a past event, as in your example




I sold my house on 10 Dec. 2018.




but testifying that he/she has very recently signed and applied an official seal to the document on a specific date.



This usage is called the present perfect of the recent past. The whereof and hereunto are also clues that legal jargon is filled with 18th and 19th century forms which have no bearing on present day English.






share|improve this answer














The signer of a legal document is not narrating a past event, as in your example




I sold my house on 10 Dec. 2018.




but testifying that he/she has very recently signed and applied an official seal to the document on a specific date.



This usage is called the present perfect of the recent past. The whereof and hereunto are also clues that legal jargon is filled with 18th and 19th century forms which have no bearing on present day English.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 10 hours ago

























answered 16 hours ago









KarlG

19.5k52854




19.5k52854












  • Jargon apart, it's still a valid and necessary structuring. Btw, this is present perfect, not past perfect. Also, rather than a recent event, it's an event that has relevence to the present (context).
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • Oops, past perfect of the recent past would be an interesting tense. Corrected. I disagree with your analysis, as the relevAnce of the document doesn't affect how the event is depicted. Validity also doesn't enter into the mix because simple past would be just as valid if custom didn't suggest otherwise.
    – KarlG
    10 hours ago


















  • Jargon apart, it's still a valid and necessary structuring. Btw, this is present perfect, not past perfect. Also, rather than a recent event, it's an event that has relevence to the present (context).
    – Kris
    14 hours ago










  • Oops, past perfect of the recent past would be an interesting tense. Corrected. I disagree with your analysis, as the relevAnce of the document doesn't affect how the event is depicted. Validity also doesn't enter into the mix because simple past would be just as valid if custom didn't suggest otherwise.
    – KarlG
    10 hours ago
















Jargon apart, it's still a valid and necessary structuring. Btw, this is present perfect, not past perfect. Also, rather than a recent event, it's an event that has relevence to the present (context).
– Kris
14 hours ago




Jargon apart, it's still a valid and necessary structuring. Btw, this is present perfect, not past perfect. Also, rather than a recent event, it's an event that has relevence to the present (context).
– Kris
14 hours ago












Oops, past perfect of the recent past would be an interesting tense. Corrected. I disagree with your analysis, as the relevAnce of the document doesn't affect how the event is depicted. Validity also doesn't enter into the mix because simple past would be just as valid if custom didn't suggest otherwise.
– KarlG
10 hours ago




Oops, past perfect of the recent past would be an interesting tense. Corrected. I disagree with your analysis, as the relevAnce of the document doesn't affect how the event is depicted. Validity also doesn't enter into the mix because simple past would be just as valid if custom didn't suggest otherwise.
– KarlG
10 hours ago










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