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Daniel Ojeda
Context: I am talking to my friend Ann and I show the glasses I purchased yesterday to her.
What should I say to her?
A) I bought these glasses in a thrift store.
B) I've bought these glasses in a thrift store.
Aug 1, 2023 11:51 AM
Answers · 3
In most cases, you want to say A. The simple past tense is the best way to state that something happened.
However, there are rare cases where B would be better. It depends what you want to emphasize. The verbs are different. In A, the verb is "bought". In B, the verb is "have". The first sentence most clearly states what you did: "you bought". The second sentence states most clearly what you have: an experience. The experience you have is the experience of buying these glasses. As a past participle, "bought", represents the verb "to buy" repurposed as a past participle which behaves like a noun to name an experience.
Here is an example where B is better:
"Look at these glasses. This is my fifth pair. I keep losing my glasses! I have bought the same pair in many different places. I have bought these glasses in a thrift store. I have bought these glasses from an optician. I have even bought these glasses online. I hope I don't lose them again."
August 1, 2023
Both are correct, but the meanings are different. The second statement emphasizes that your current situation has changed. (I.e. you now have new glasses) But it’s not necessary because the current consequence is obvious even from the simple past statement. So A sounds more natural in most cases
August 1, 2023
The first one. The action has finished.
August 1, 2023
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Daniel Ojeda
Language Skills
English, Spanish
Learning Language
English
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