Verbal Ability - Sentence Improvement - Discussion
Discussion Forum : Sentence Improvement - Section 1 (Q.No. 8)
Directions to Solve
In questions given below, a part of the sentence is italicised and underlined. Below are given alternatives to the italicised part which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, option 'D' is the answer.
8.
John had told me that he hasn't done it yet.
Discussion:
43 comments Page 1 of 5.
Rahul said:
1 decade ago
Had told means past perfect "action continuing for a period of time in the past, which finished in the past. Whereas hasn't done reflects present perfect action done in the past but the effects still continuing in the present".
Rule- past perfect and present perfect cannot go together as is the case with past simple (told) and present perfect therefore it is tells.
Rule- past perfect and present perfect cannot go together as is the case with past simple (told) and present perfect therefore it is tells.
Jaya Phoolwani said:
1 decade ago
Told is the correct answer because the John has not done it yet. Though the last part in present but still that is the Perfect tense (Has not done) so how can it be (Tells) it should be "Told".
Damini said:
1 decade ago
If one second part would have been in past perfect, you would use past tense in the first part.
Here goes the relation of tenses of verbs in the first and the second part of the statement.
Here goes the relation of tenses of verbs in the first and the second part of the statement.
(1)
Gaurav said:
1 decade ago
Tells is correct as its in indirect speech. And reported speech in present form so reported verb will also be in present tense.
Alok said:
1 decade ago
Tells is correct, as something is told which is still continuing in present, please emphasis on last part. Hasn't done it yet.
Namratha said:
2 decades ago
Since the phrase he has not done yet is in present tense, the answer should be John tells me as it's in present tense.
Gopal ji said:
1 decade ago
Second sentence is past combination become present past participle first sentence present after that past.
Mohit Ahalawat said:
10 years ago
Grammatically "tells" is correct though "told" seems to be correct while speaking.
B.Jagadeesh said:
1 decade ago
Ya. Namratha is correct. If 'hadn't is the one used in the later part,'told' would have been used.
Raju said:
10 years ago
The answer is told because tells is talking about more than one thing and told means single thing.
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