It's time you learned
- Thread starter elinor
- Start date
It's time someone + Verb(past tense).
i think the past tense is required by the structure "it's time...".
my grammar book says it's Subjunctive mood.
i think the past tense is required by the structure "it's time...".
my grammar book says it's Subjunctive mood.
I think the preterit (past tense) can be used when
- there is a 'break' between the present and the past
- or a 'break' between present and reality:
when you say 'it's time we learnt' learning is something you should do, not something you actually do.
it's the same with : 'I wish you were here ' or 'if I had a lot of money I would travel around the world'
- there is a 'break' between the present and the past
- or a 'break' between present and reality:
when you say 'it's time we learnt' learning is something you should do, not something you actually do.
it's the same with : 'I wish you were here ' or 'if I had a lot of money I would travel around the world'
Thank you, cressonnet and lsp.
I found the information through searching for google, and I would like to share with you all, however I failed to link the webpage because of some errors showing in the reply system as long as I copied the webpage address on the screen.
I copied some of them about “it’s time + past tense,” and I hope that will not break the rules of this forum. I am so sure you could look for the webpage according to this information.
Thank you all.
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Similarly, when we want to say now is a suitable moment to do something, either for ourselves or for someone else, we use it’s time + past tense:
1. It’ (high) time I went.
2. It’s time you paid that bill.
3. Don’t you think it’s time you had a haircut?
I found the information through searching for google, and I would like to share with you all, however I failed to link the webpage because of some errors showing in the reply system as long as I copied the webpage address on the screen.
I copied some of them about “it’s time + past tense,” and I hope that will not break the rules of this forum. I am so sure you could look for the webpage according to this information.
Thank you all.
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Similarly, when we want to say now is a suitable moment to do something, either for ourselves or for someone else, we use it’s time + past tense:
1. It’ (high) time I went.
2. It’s time you paid that bill.
3. Don’t you think it’s time you had a haircut?
Hi Elinor,
1. Normal use would have a place after went. The word "high" is Western US dilect - it means "past" here - "It's past time I went", which means that I have stayed too long.
2. Correct. This means that you have waited too long to pay your bill.
3. Correct. This means "Your hair is messy or too long. You need a haircut." A parent would ask a child this.
Bruce
1. Normal use would have a place after went. The word "high" is Western US dilect - it means "past" here - "It's past time I went", which means that I have stayed too long.
2. Correct. This means that you have waited too long to pay your bill.
3. Correct. This means "Your hair is messy or too long. You need a haircut." A parent would ask a child this.
Bruce
Just FYI: "past time" is dialectal as well, it does not make sense to me.B. Davis said:
elinor said:
Hi Elinor
!!! There are some phrases that need the verb in the past. It's about time It's high time It's timeI think the past refers to the subjunctive, since what you are saying is something imaginary, hypothetical, not real. It's as if you said "I wish you learnt now".
Bye!!
You can avoid the use of the past with this construction:
It's time for you to learn English
Very good explanation. I love all your answers. It's about time I learnt more from you in WordReference.
<Added to this thread. Nat, Moderator>
It’s time you ....................... training for the Air Guitar World Championship in Finland. It is June and the contest is on August 22.
a)have started
b)had started
Which one is better? a) sounds better to me but I'm not sure
It’s time you ....................... training for the Air Guitar World Championship in Finland. It is June and the contest is on August 22.
a)have started
b)had started
Which one is better? a) sounds better to me but I'm not sure
Last edited by a moderator:
In US English we wouldn't say either. It's time you started...
I’m inclined to say that the same applies in BE.
But only a) is entirely out of the question, I think. For example, people do say “It’s time you had finished”, meaning not that you should now finish, but that you should already have finished — you should have finished by now.
And if that construction is valid in relation to finishing something, it should also be valid in relation to starting something.
It’s time you started (you should make a start)
It’s time you’d finished (you should have finished by now)
It’s time you went/left (you need to go)
It’s time they’d arrived (they should have been here by now)
But only a) is entirely out of the question, I think. For example, people do say “It’s time you had finished”, meaning not that you should now finish, but that you should already have finished — you should have finished by now.
And if that construction is valid in relation to finishing something, it should also be valid in relation to starting something.
It’s time you started (you should make a start)
It’s time you’d finished (you should have finished by now)
It’s time you went/left (you need to go)
It’s time they’d arrived (they should have been here by now)