Grammar help

XML, Perl, Python, and other languages can be discussed here, even if it isn't PHP (We might forgive you).

Moderator: General Moderators

Post Reply
Ree
Forum Regular
Posts: 592
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2005 1:43 am
Location: LT

Grammar help

Post by Ree »

Some help needed from native English speakers. ;)

Transition to the market economy during the last 15 years [has brought / brought] changes in the national agriculture sector.

Which is the correct one - "has brought" or "brought"?
User avatar
jayshields
DevNet Resident
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:11 pm
Location: Leeds/Manchester, England

Post by jayshields »

Depends on the tense.

"brought" is "bring" in the past tense.
"bring" is present/future tense of "brought".

"has" has nothing to do with it, it's just a word to precede past tense verbs (I think so anyway, atleast in this case).
James has brought an egg to the table.
James will bring an egg to the table.
Edit, sorry, just realised what your post was about...

Both are grammatically correct.
James has brought an egg to the table.
James brought an egg to the table.
User avatar
onion2k
Jedi Mod
Posts: 5263
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:03 pm
Location: usrlab.com

Post by onion2k »

"has brought", because you're refering to a verb (transition). If you were refering to a noun (the transition for example) it'd just be "brought".

That said, I'd use "has brought about". The extra 'about' is reserved exclusively for when you're talking about change in English.
Ree
Forum Regular
Posts: 592
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2005 1:43 am
Location: LT

Post by Ree »

jayshields wrote:Depends on the tense
You must be missing something.

What I'm asking is which tense should be used in that particular sentence.

EDIT: onion2k, thanks.
User avatar
onion2k
Jedi Mod
Posts: 5263
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:03 pm
Location: usrlab.com

Post by onion2k »

Ree wrote:
jayshields wrote:Depends on the tense
What I'm asking is which tense should be used in that particular sentence.
What Jay means is that "has brought" would refer to changes that are recent, or current, while "brought" would refer to changes in the past.
User avatar
Chris Corbyn
Breakbeat Nuttzer
Posts: 13098
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 7:57 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Chris Corbyn »

onion2k wrote:
Ree wrote:
jayshields wrote:Depends on the tense
What I'm asking is which tense should be used in that particular sentence.
What Jay means is that "has brought" would refer to changes that are recent, or current, while "brought" would refer to changes in the past.
Precisely:

"has brought" is used for changes which *still exist* today
"brought" simply means "did bring" (or just "bring" in the past tense)
Post Reply