I 'll return the newspaper when I have looked through it."
Are they both future clauses? Or is the first future and the second past ?
Why is it not "I'll return the newspaper when I will have looked through it"
In this case are both future?
help !!!!! future or not?
Moderator: Alan
-
hannahm
- Member
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 2:14 pm
- Status: Learner of English
-
Alan
- Teacher/Moderator
- Posts: 15237
- Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2003 7:56 pm
- Status: Teacher of English
- Location: Japan
Re: help !!!!! future or not?
The main clause (I'll...newspaper) is in the future tense, while the subordinate clause(when...it) is in the present perfect, although its reference is to a future time.
This is the standard pattern for this kind of sentence in English, where adverbial time-clauses of future reference accompanying main clauses in a future tense do not take future forms, but either present or (as here) perfect.
The second sentence is, by virtue of the above rule, incorrect!
This is the standard pattern for this kind of sentence in English, where adverbial time-clauses of future reference accompanying main clauses in a future tense do not take future forms, but either present or (as here) perfect.
The second sentence is, by virtue of the above rule, incorrect!