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Michael
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:01 pm
Post subject: "after" |
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Hi,
Is there any difference in meaning in the following sentences?
"I can only decide after I know the results"
"I can only decide after I knew the results"
"I can only decide after I have known the results"
Thanks
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John O'Flaherty
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:01 pm
Post subject: Re: "after" |
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Michael wrote:
| Quote: | Hi,
Is there any difference in meaning in the following sentences?
"I can only decide after I know the results"
"I can only decide after I knew the results"
"I can only decide after I have known the results"
|
Only the first is allowable, so the second two don't have any meaning.
"I can only decide..." looks forward from the present. At present, you
either know or don't know the results. To say what you mean you would
have to use a different word from 'know':
"I can only decide after I have found out the results."
However, you could possibly say
"I can only decide after I have known the results for one hour."
This is because 'know' describes a continuing condition, while 'find
out' describes a change in that condition.
Also, if describing a past dilemma, you could say
"I could only decide after I knew the results."
--
john |
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Charles Riggs
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:02 pm
Post subject: Re: "after" |
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On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 10:19:34 -0600, John O'Flaherty
<quiasmox@yahoo.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Michael wrote:
Hi,
Is there any difference in meaning in the following sentences?
"I can only decide after I know the results"
"I can only decide after I knew the results"
"I can only decide after I have known the results"
Only the first is allowable, so the second two don't have any meaning.
|
That is an odd conclusion to draw. I had no trouble understanding the
second two since I knew what he was trying to say. Liking how they are
written is another matter entirely.
--
Charles Riggs
They are no accented letters in my email address
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