bomb

When would I use one and not the other?

Atomic bombs have provided a clear deterrent for big nations.

The atomic bomb has provided a clear deterrent for big nations.

Both seem equally valid.

If I look carefully, I notice the 'tense' is slightly different.

The second sentence sounds more formal and more certain. The second sentence is more of a 'statement'.

The first sentence could almost be a question.

Atomic bombs have provided a clear deterrent for big nations? Discuss.

Robin, your comments never cease to be amusing. Maybe you should look up the word "tense" in the dictionary, because you clearly don't know what it means. You always to try to throw in a grammatical term in your replies, but since you clearly don't know much in the way of grammar, you always use them nonsensically... I think the term you might have been looking for was "tone", not "tense".

The first sentence uses the plural form of the phrase "atomic bomb" to indicate the atomic bomb in general, while the second sentence uses the more formal structure "the ~", which indicates "~" in general. So the only difference between the two sentences is a minor stylistic difference. The meaning doesn't change.

You can use the same patterns in other situations, of course.

"Cows are farm animals."
"The cow is a farm animal."

empty heads make no noise

This is not realy a set in a real tone form.

EMPTY HEADS MAKE NO NOISE!

now that is tone.

guest I am sure you know all about this subject

and no I am not Robin

hum I seem to have lost a "a"


This is not realy a set in a real tone form.

There it is. I will have to take it back.


This is not realy set in a real tone form.

Thats better looks like you are rubbing of no me guest

I don't understand your nonsense. Obviously English is not your native language. Learn it better, and come back. I shall not bother with your babble otherwise.

I think it would be nice if people said who they were. I appreciate that it is easy to pretend to be someone else. Also, I think it would help to keep things civil.

The reason why I thought it was to do with 'tense', was because of the difference between: 'have' and 'had'.

I do not think that it is a difference in 'tone'.

'have provided' implies something that is 'ongoing' or at least, been ongoing up to the present moment.

'has provided' is definately in the past tense.

Possibly someone else can help us out here.

had, has, and have

I have stumbled across another Web Site:

http://www.englishforums.com/English/HaveHasHad/cwmlq/Post.htm



Very simple rules?

Present:

I / you / we / they --> have

I have a cat.

he / she / it --> has

He has a dog.

Past:

always had

They had very many pets when they were children.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who.
-- Rudyard Kipling --

Unique, it seems you are confused with tenses there. Try this guide.

I attended the meeting this morning --> Past Simple

I have attended the meeting --> Present Perfect

I had attended the meeting by the time he came --> Past Perfect

Jenny has [you cannot use "have" here] been working with us for the past six years --> Present Perfect Continuous

Jenny had been working with us for six years when I retired --> Past Perfect Continuous

I have prepared the letter to Mr. John today --> again Present Perfect

I had prepared the letter to Mr. John when he asked me to give him it --> again Past Perfect

Our organization has been a leader of the industry --> again Present Perfect

Our organization had been a leader of the industry by that time --> again Past Perfect

Hope that helps.

<If I look carefully, I notice the 'tense' is slightly different. >

That's called "tense agreement", isn't it? Nothing odd there.

<You can use the same patterns in other situations, of course.

"Cows are farm animals."
"The cow is a farm animal." >

So what's your answer to the thread question?

To (almost) All

Why are you filling this thread with your petty bickering? A question was asked. Try to answer it if you can.

Let me try. You'd use one and not the other whenever you feel like it. A silly answer? Not really considering they mean the same thing. Though, I s'pose "The atomic bomb ..." sounds ever so slightly more formal.

You'll find that the ones with articles appear in more formal areas, with "the" the most formal of all. The one without the article is normally informal or conversational.

<You'll find that the ones with articles appear in more formal areas, with "the" the most formal of all. The one without the article is normally informal or conversational.>

Thanks, M56.