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ESL forum >
Ask for help > mistake
mistake
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tommy1996
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mistake
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Plz help me find out the mistake of this sentence
Today is Monday.The builders say they have finished the roof by the end of the week
Thanks |
12 Apr 2016
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georginasantanna
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Hi! The mistake is "The builders say they have finished..." Since the action implies the use of the future, you have to use the future perfect: The builders say they will have finished... Hope I may have helped. Georgina |
12 Apr 2016
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alien boy
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It could also�be (& this would be more common) �The builders say they will finish the roof by the end of the week. � � Cheers, AB�
Edit: It could also be (& this is also common) �The builders say they will have the roof finished by the end of the week. � Cheers, AB
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12 Apr 2016
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gharbi2009
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the builders say they will have had the roof finished by the end of the week |
13 Apr 2016
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yanogator
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I wouldn �t use "will have had" in this case. It is correct, but more complicated than is necessary for the situation. Bruce
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13 Apr 2016
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gharbi2009
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Dear Bruce, I do appreciate a lot what you and other native speakers do to help colleagues here. Thanks to you, I have learned a lot. However, we have to take into consideration that in certain countries there are sets of rules in grammar that are taught and should be followed in Exams. I think in this example if a student doesn �t use the future perfect, the answer will be considered wrong because of the expression "by the ________". Therefore, it should be "will have finished or will have had the roof finished Gharbi |
13 Apr 2016
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FrauSue
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Hello Gharbi, As a native speaker, I agree with Bruce. The use of the future perfect with the "have something done" construction in this case sounds unnatural and thus, while grammatically correct, it is not idiomatic English. For me, the problem is that "will have had it done" suggests that the doing of the action occurred a long time ago, whereas this sentence �s context implies that the finishing will happen soon (by the end of the week). Compare the following: By 2020, the government will long have had these reforms finished and dealt with. / By the end of the month, the government hope that they will have these reforms finished. I hope that helps to clarify Bruce �s comment. |
13 Apr 2016
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gharbi2009
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Hello FauSue, I think "the builders will have had the roof finished" implies that the builders will cause someone else to do it and in this case it will not be acceptable because there is a change in meaning but the use of perfect future is needed here as the focus is on a completed action in the future regardless of the time when the verb action will be completed, in the short term or the long term. After all, "will finish" or will have finished" do not mean the same. |
14 Apr 2016
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alien boy
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If tommy can provide some further details re the scope of the correction required, then it is possible to determine the correct grammatical form required, rather than making assumptions gharbi. |
14 Apr 2016
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yanogator
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Gharbi, "Will have had the roof finished" was your suggestion, but you are now saying it is not acceptable. I wasn �t saying not to use the future perfect, because I agree that it is the appropriate case here. That would be "will have finished the roof". I was saying that I wouldn �t use your suggestion of "will have had the roof finished". Bruce |
14 Apr 2016
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gharbi2009
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Dear Bruce, I was answering Fausue who said it referred to an action that occurred a long time ago. Your comment drew my attention to the fact that my suggestion was wrong as far as meaning is concerned. I don �t feel ashamed of saying I �m wrong everytime I am. Gharbi |
14 Apr 2016
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