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Which sentence/help
Message from lukaznachi posted on 25-01-2015 at 15:20:36
Hello,
Can you tell me which one of these two sentences is grammatically correct?
--- 'Can you tell me the name of this BMW? I photographed it last year but I have forgotten its name.'
--- 'Can you tell me the name of this BMW? I photographed it last year but I forgot its name.'
Thanks for any reply.
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Edited by lucile83 on 25-01-2015 18:35
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Edited by lucile83 on 02-02-2015 11:21
Message from lukaznachi posted on 25-01-2015 at 15:20:36
Hello,
Can you tell me which one of these two sentences is grammatically correct?
--- 'Can you tell me the name of this BMW? I photographed it last year but I have forgotten its name.'
--- 'Can you tell me the name of this BMW? I photographed it last year but I forgot its name.'
Thanks for any reply.
-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 25-01-2015 18:35
-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 02-02-2015 11:21
Re: Which sentence/help by willy, posted on 25-01-2015 at 15:28:59
Hello,
1) Correct: you still can't remember its name!
2) Correct: : idem.
Re: Which sentence/help by gerondif, posted on 25-01-2015 at 16:50:45
Hello,
the point of view is different:
'Can you tell me the name of this BMW? I photographed it last year but I can't tell you which model it is now because I have forgotten its name.'
'Can you tell me the name of this BMW? I photographed it last year but I forgot its name shortly after I took the picture.'
Lots of people use the preterite instead of the present perfect because they don't bother with this present aspect of the present perfect and the preterite is the first tense that comes to their mind.
Re: Which sentence/help by notrepere, posted on 25-01-2015 at 22:43:52
Bonjour'Can you tell me the name of this BMW? I photographed it last year but I have forgotten its name.' OK
In American English, you are more likely to hear the present tense: forget. I photographed it last year, but at this precise moment, I cannot recall (i.e. I forget) its name.
What Mr G proposed is also possible, but less likely. It's more likely that you're trying to recall something at a time in the present moment rather than recalling that you forgot its name in the past.
Cordialement.
Re: Which sentence/help by ahmad998, posted on 26-01-2015 at 02:37:42
Hello,
you still can't remember its name is correct.
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Edited by lucile83 on 26-01-2015 09:19
Re: Which sentence/help by lukaznachi, posted on 27-01-2015 at 19:54:21
Okay, thank you.
Re: Which sentence/help by clint01, posted on 28-01-2015 at 10:56:47
Hello,
In British English, as far as I know, when a person is opening a door at the time of speaking says 'I am opening the door'.
But the very moment he has finished it, he probably says 'I HAVE just OPENED the door' and the door is open.
But in American English they say I just opened the door. Unfortunately, you can't say if the door is open or not.
Because when you say 'I have washed our car' it tells us that the car is now nice and clean.
Thanks for the topic
Re: Which sentence/help by lukaznachi, posted on 29-01-2015 at 21:14:55
clint01, what do you mean?
When Americans say 'I just opened the door', I think it's very clear that the door has been opened.
Please clarify.
Thanks for the reply.
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Edited by lucile83 on 29-01-2015 21:39
No red on the forum, thank you.
Re: Which sentence/help by lucile83, posted on 29-01-2015 at 21:48:14
Hello,
I washed my car ...ok but perhaps it is dirty now.
I have washed my car ...look how clean it is!
Same thing with the door:
I opened the door ...ok but perhaps it is closed now.
I have opened the door ...look, I am the one who opened the door and it is still open.
Hope it is clear.
Re: Which sentence/help by lukaznachi, posted on 29-01-2015 at 23:19:46
I got confused because clint01 didn't put 'still' in this sentence: 'Unfortunately, you can't say if the door is _____ open or not'. Sorry, my bad.
However, I figured out what clint01 meant just after I had written the reply, but then it was too late. So, since I didn't want to spam the thread with my comments in a row, I waited for somebody to reply...
Anyway, lucile83, thank you very much for your explanation, and sorry for the misunderstanding, if I can call it that.
P.S. Please correct my grammar and spelling mistakes (if any) because I'm 15 and I'm still learning English. Thank you.
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Edited by lucile83 on 30-01-2015 07:44
No mistake, congrats!
Re: Which sentence/help by here4u, posted on 30-01-2015 at 17:13:29
Hello !
Don't worry !
You just have to choose whether you want to speak or ! Looking at your profile, I can see that you're going to live in NYC ... Therefore, I advise you to use and get used to American English !
If not, you'll be winced at and maybe laughed at as 'snobbish' ! 
(and being a young learner, you won't be self-assured enough to justify your point !)Don't worry, the USA is great and tolerant and noboby will protest if you make mistakes !
Good luck ! and as my best (American) friend told my students, 'In the US, if people don't understand you, start again and smile ! ' 
Re: Which sentence/help by harbort, posted on 31-01-2015 at 04:18:02
I am a English learner, I think lucile83 has explained them clearly.
Thanks for your topic.
Re: Which sentence/help by lukaznachi, posted on 31-01-2015 at 18:40:08
here4u thank you for your reply, it made me very happy.
I have already chosen, it's American English. I am slowly getting used to it. I practise English daily on my computer, watch American films and shows, listen to American music... The only problem for me is that we study British English
You're welcome harbort.
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Edited by lucile83 on 31-01-2015 19:19
Re: Which sentence/help by lukaznachi, posted on 01-02-2015 at 12:24:33
Hehe, I'm trying to use American English and still I wrote practise instead of practice... I hope you see my point. Thanks again.
Re: Which sentence/help by traviskidd, posted on 01-02-2015 at 21:56:13
Hello, I agree with notrepere that the present tense is best here: I forget the name / the name escapes me at the moment.
Otherwise, "have forgotten" is more grammatically correct (since what you're really saying is that, after having forgotten, you still don't remember), but in the US the simple past is usually used as long as there is no ambiguity.
See you.
Re: Which sentence/help by violet91, posted on 01-02-2015 at 23:01:38
Hello lukaznachi ,
Reading your interventions and seeing how enthusiastic you are about American English , I feel necessary to give you some advice, if I may . Don't mind me telling something as an English teacher who , when a teen-ager ( 14 , when you are a year older ) really 'fell in love' with English . I wanted to specialize , go , live and study in GB , what I finally did : I even taught there and would not spend a year without a stay overthere ever since .
I have no idea how English is taught in your country, but I guess you are expected as any schoolboy and when you become an English student if you do , to study and practise standard English properly first , as a 'traditional model ' to be understood nearly everywhere . You will still be able to make your real choice , once you do well at it and outside learning centres .
It won't stop you from catching this or that word , different expressions , this or that accent from American English ! A long way to go ...I would not ( I can't avoid ) ) advise you to use American in your English papers ...in essays , mostly .
As many young people , you seem fascinated by the USA and to 'have a dream' : living in NYC as it looks so trendy , modern and huge ! Yet ,if you could try to keep in mind you have a specific school schedule which must not be very different from European countries ´ ones . I suppose you'll have to go through 'purely ' English studies before you can use American in life . It is a matter of experience , you know . You can't change the standard English grammar , conjugated verbs ,use of tenses, spelling and vocabulary ( or you have to notify) ...An English student is also expected to speak with a standard pronunciation , as well : I mean when you sit for exams and wish to teach , for instance .
Naturally , listening to songs , watching adventure films and series so often is good training for comprehension and 'relaxing. practice , but you can still enjoy what is taught to you . It is not old -fashioned at all , it is normative . If you could go and visit London , live there for some time , you would realize 'swinging London ' is not just an expression ! Most young people love the atmosphere and diversity, too . But then again , after you've finished with your final exams -equivalent of 'A levels ' when you are 17 or 18 ( even after coming across this or that famous American novel ) , it is a personal matter and you are your own master , if I may say so .
Anyway , keep being highly interested in this beautiful language : it helps a lot when looking for a job and makes all sorts of acquaintances possible .
All the best .
Re: Which sentence/help by lukaznachi, posted on 02-02-2015 at 10:57:02
Thanks traviskidd.
Hello violet91,
thank you for your extensive reply. I will definitely consider everything you advised me but there's still something that's bothering me.
I've been learning English for about 9 years now and by the time I'm 18 it'll be like 12 or 13 years of learning. I subconsciously preferred American English until maybe two years ago, given the fact that I used to always find it funny how my English teacher pronouced some words (back then I didn't know about the difference between AmE and BrE; two years ago I realized that I prefer AmE).
Now, don't you think my English would get very messed up after 9 years of AmE (I know I've been studying BrE in school but I've (unfortunately?) been trying to resist the influence with all my forces), then switching to BrE for 4 years, and then again eventually switching back to AmE? Or maybe I misunderstood your reply?
However, I think that AmE is much easier for understanding than BrE since BrE has that weird but somewhat cool accent. Also, English as the main native language has the highest percentage globally in the US (58.5%), then comes the UK (15.8%), etc. And given the fact that I prefer AmE and the majority of global native speakers speak AmE, and that I want to go to live in the United States when I finish school etc., why would I suddenly switch to BrE? I hope you understand my question since my thoughts are now just coming up and I don't know what to write first.
Sorry for the ugly concept of this reply. I know it seems like I'm thinking like a typical teenager but I'm thinking much wider, I just don't know how to explain my thoughts through pure text only.
I am very grateful for your advice. Thank you.
Re: Which sentence/help by lucile83, posted on 02-02-2015 at 11:18:28
Hello,
Please use the private messages if you wish to go on talking to each other. You are now off the subject,sorry.
Regards.
