Is “I have posted the letter last week” grammatical?
Is this sentence grammatically OK? Take a look at this sentence:
I have certainly posted the letter last week. I wonder why it hasn't arrived yet.
So what is the problem with this sentence?
I took a look at the answer sheet. At the first part of the sentence, the modal verb "have" is incorrect. What's your idea?
present-perfect auxiliary-verbs past-simple
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
migrated from english.stackexchange.com 5 hours ago
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
add a comment |
Is this sentence grammatically OK? Take a look at this sentence:
I have certainly posted the letter last week. I wonder why it hasn't arrived yet.
So what is the problem with this sentence?
I took a look at the answer sheet. At the first part of the sentence, the modal verb "have" is incorrect. What's your idea?
present-perfect auxiliary-verbs past-simple
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
migrated from english.stackexchange.com 5 hours ago
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
add a comment |
Is this sentence grammatically OK? Take a look at this sentence:
I have certainly posted the letter last week. I wonder why it hasn't arrived yet.
So what is the problem with this sentence?
I took a look at the answer sheet. At the first part of the sentence, the modal verb "have" is incorrect. What's your idea?
present-perfect auxiliary-verbs past-simple
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
Is this sentence grammatically OK? Take a look at this sentence:
I have certainly posted the letter last week. I wonder why it hasn't arrived yet.
So what is the problem with this sentence?
I took a look at the answer sheet. At the first part of the sentence, the modal verb "have" is incorrect. What's your idea?
present-perfect auxiliary-verbs past-simple
present-perfect auxiliary-verbs past-simple
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
edited 40 mins ago
Mari-Lou A
13.4k73976
13.4k73976
asked 5 hours ago
user602338
migrated from english.stackexchange.com 5 hours ago
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
migrated from english.stackexchange.com 5 hours ago
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Because the present perfect is incompatible with an explicit time reference to a period that is finished.
If the time period is still continuing, then either the simple past or the present perfect is possible:
I have certainly posted the letter this week.
I certainly posted the letter this week.
(The difference is in how the speaker is choosing to characterise the temporal relationships - the first emphasises that "this week" is continuing, and chooses to see the posting as an event that is relevant to the present. The simple past treats the posting as a finished action, ignoring the fact that it is located in a time period which encompasses the present).
But with "last week", only the simple past is possible.
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
add a comment |
Last week is finished. You need simple past tense: I certainly posted the letter last week.
Btw. Have isn't a modal verb. It's an auxiliary in the present perfect structure.
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "481"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f191511%2fis-i-have-posted-the-letter-last-week-grammatical%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Because the present perfect is incompatible with an explicit time reference to a period that is finished.
If the time period is still continuing, then either the simple past or the present perfect is possible:
I have certainly posted the letter this week.
I certainly posted the letter this week.
(The difference is in how the speaker is choosing to characterise the temporal relationships - the first emphasises that "this week" is continuing, and chooses to see the posting as an event that is relevant to the present. The simple past treats the posting as a finished action, ignoring the fact that it is located in a time period which encompasses the present).
But with "last week", only the simple past is possible.
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
add a comment |
Because the present perfect is incompatible with an explicit time reference to a period that is finished.
If the time period is still continuing, then either the simple past or the present perfect is possible:
I have certainly posted the letter this week.
I certainly posted the letter this week.
(The difference is in how the speaker is choosing to characterise the temporal relationships - the first emphasises that "this week" is continuing, and chooses to see the posting as an event that is relevant to the present. The simple past treats the posting as a finished action, ignoring the fact that it is located in a time period which encompasses the present).
But with "last week", only the simple past is possible.
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
add a comment |
Because the present perfect is incompatible with an explicit time reference to a period that is finished.
If the time period is still continuing, then either the simple past or the present perfect is possible:
I have certainly posted the letter this week.
I certainly posted the letter this week.
(The difference is in how the speaker is choosing to characterise the temporal relationships - the first emphasises that "this week" is continuing, and chooses to see the posting as an event that is relevant to the present. The simple past treats the posting as a finished action, ignoring the fact that it is located in a time period which encompasses the present).
But with "last week", only the simple past is possible.
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
Because the present perfect is incompatible with an explicit time reference to a period that is finished.
If the time period is still continuing, then either the simple past or the present perfect is possible:
I have certainly posted the letter this week.
I certainly posted the letter this week.
(The difference is in how the speaker is choosing to characterise the temporal relationships - the first emphasises that "this week" is continuing, and chooses to see the posting as an event that is relevant to the present. The simple past treats the posting as a finished action, ignoring the fact that it is located in a time period which encompasses the present).
But with "last week", only the simple past is possible.
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
answered 5 hours ago
Colin Fine
28.4k24155
28.4k24155
add a comment |
add a comment |
Last week is finished. You need simple past tense: I certainly posted the letter last week.
Btw. Have isn't a modal verb. It's an auxiliary in the present perfect structure.
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
Last week is finished. You need simple past tense: I certainly posted the letter last week.
Btw. Have isn't a modal verb. It's an auxiliary in the present perfect structure.
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
Last week is finished. You need simple past tense: I certainly posted the letter last week.
Btw. Have isn't a modal verb. It's an auxiliary in the present perfect structure.
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Last week is finished. You need simple past tense: I certainly posted the letter last week.
Btw. Have isn't a modal verb. It's an auxiliary in the present perfect structure.
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
answered 4 hours ago
Matt
1515
1515
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Matt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language Learners Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f191511%2fis-i-have-posted-the-letter-last-week-grammatical%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
