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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 7/4/2012
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She's clearly been waiting to tell her side, and it's time we give her a listen.
Quite frankly, it's time you learned to cook something besides chicken stir-fry.
In the first sentence, "it's time we give (a present tense verb); in the second sentence, "it's time you learned (a past tense verb).
Why "it's time" in the first sentence, is followed by "give", a present tense verb, while in the second sentence, the phrase is followed by "learned" (a past tense verb)?
Thanks!
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Location: London, England, United Kingdom
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The first one should be "gave".
"It's time [that]" + past tense, referring to present/future, is an idiomatic construction.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 9/16/2015
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Koh Elaine wrote:She's clearly been waiting to tell her side, and it's time we give her a listen.
Quite frankly, it's time you learned to cook something besides chicken stir-fry.
In the first sentence, "it's time we give (a present tense verb); in the second sentence, "it's time you learned (a past tense verb).
Why "it's time" in the first sentence, is followed by "give", a present tense verb, while in the second sentence, the phrase is followed by "learned" (a past tense verb)?
Thanks!
__________________________ It is possible to use "to + infinitive" in the first sentence with a slight modification and say "it's time for us to give her.... " Here is one example: - It's time to go home. - It's (high) time we went home.
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