The Use of the Past Static after the Beforepresent Static in the Same or Different Sentences

The Past Static is frequently used after a verb in the Beforepresent tense in different sentences, in co-ordinate clauses of compound sen­tences, in complex sentences with an attributive, object, time, reason or manner clause.

In Different Sentences: 1. "You have worked hard," Tom said.— "Yes, I have worked hard," Frederick affirmed. "It was worth it" (J. Lon­don); 2. "I have worried about you, Matt I I didn't know where you had gone" (A. Cronin); 3. "Forget what I've said. I didn't mean most of it" (H. Walpole); 4. "But tell me what has actually brought you back?" — "Nessie! My sister Nessie!" she said slowly. "Things have been dreadful at home and she has suffered. She needed me — so I came home" (A. Cro­nin); 5. "The truth is I have been so absorbed in my work that I've thought of nothing else. I took it too much for granted that you were happy because I was happy" (H. Walpole); 6. "I don't understand. I've lain awake for two nights turning it all over in my mind. I thought I should go mad" (W. S. Maugham).

In Co-ordinate Clauses: 1. "I haven't seen her for years — I was too busy" (M. Wilson); 2. "Ever since our days on the farm I've wanted to tell you but I could not" (G. Gordon); 3. "I've only seen him for a few minutes; he looked quite nice, I thought" (J. Galsworthy); 4. "And how often I've heard you say 'God bless you'—"AndI meant it!" (S. Lew­is); 5. "I've just been and looked at myself in the glass, and I wanted ever so much to kiss that beautiful woman" (J. Lindsay).

In Sentences with an Attributive Clause: 1. "No, I've never done anything that wasn't necessary to keep the wheels of progress moving" (S. Lewis); 2. "I've done everything I could" (Th. Wolfe); 3. "My father has beaten me every time I mentioned painting" (I. Stone); 4. I, too, have had a dream. It has consoled me through the weary hours when I practised scales for eight hours a day (B. Shaw); 5. "I have never known anyone whom I wished so much to serve" (A. Cronin).

In Sentences with an Object Clause: 1. It's not your fault, dear, you've done what you could (A. Sutro); 2. "I have worked hard. I have done what came to my hand" (J. London); 3. "Look here, old George: I've never for one moment believed you meant it when you've defended Doane and the strikers and so on, at the Club" (S. Lewis); 4. I know what your ambitions are. I have always felt that I did, in part" (Th. Drei­ser); 5. "How long have you known you had this power?" (F. Norris).

In Sentences with an Adverbial Clause of Time: 1. "Why!" said Ara­bella, affecting dismay. "You've promised to marry me several times as we sat here tonight. These gentlemen have heard you" (Th. Hardy); 2. "I tell you, I've sat and looked into that dog's eyes till the shivers ran up and down my spine" (J. London); 3. "I have sat and thought upon it till my head went round" (J. London); 4. "Just once or twice I've thought when I was stoned to hell I might like to sample it for experi­ence" (F. Pohl); 5. "While you and I have been alive, people built all this" (D. Carter).

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In Sentences with a Clause of Reason or Manner: 1. "The blame is entirely mine, and she has treated me kindly because she was sorry for me" (J. Galsworthy); 2. "We have never quarreled about these things, because I didn't think it was important to quarrel about them" (Th. Drei­ser); 3. "I have heard actors speak it so that it was indistinguishable from prose" (W. S. Maugham); 4. "I've hinted at this before, but I've been as charitable and long-suffering as I could be" (S. Lewis).