gave/given

[soundtrack12]

Is it correct to use these sentences because I can't see any difference between them

A: I can't believe he has given us a fake address

B: I can't believe he gave us a fake address

is there any difference?

in A it's present perfect right? even though he (a guy) has given them a fake address a while ago, can I just go with A and relate this to my present situation?.

 

[jutfrank]

The distinction is subtle, but revealing.

With the present perfect form, we can easily imagine a situation where the sentence might be spoken, where the fact that he gave us the wrong address has some negative impact on what is happening now at the time of speaking.There is a strong relation between the past action and the effects of this action on the present situation. Maybe we have just driven to the address to discover that the address is fake. That is, we are faced with some kind of present evidence that the address is fake, and that we have been cheated.

With the past simple form, we are less concerned about the current impact of the action, and more focused on the past action itself. The relation between past and present is not so strong. We can imagine that the speaker says this after the negative effects of the past action have become less immediate, for example, on reflection the following day.

 

[Tdol]

even though he (a guy) has given them a fake address a while ago, can I just go with A and relate this to my present situation?.

Possibly, but the further removed somethingis from the current situation, the less likely this is. I would probably use the simple past for this.

 

[soundtrack12]

So, it would be wrong to use A here?.

 

[jutfrank]

So, it would be wrong to use A here?.

As I was trying to show in post #2, both A and B are correct. Which one do you want to use? It's largely irrelevant how long ago he gave us the fake address.

 

[soundtrack12]

What if I use A?.

 

[jutfrank]

What if I use A?.

I don't understand. What do you mean?

 

[soundtrack12]

If I use A it means that it was recently right? and if I use B it means that it might have happened a day ago, a year ago, but not recently right?

 

[jutfrank]

If I use A it means that it was recently right? and if I use B it means that it might have happened a day ago, a year ago, but not recently right?

No, that's not right.

 

[soundtrack12]

Then, I don't quite get it. Could you explain it one more time please?.

 

[jutfrank]

Then, I don't quite get it. Could you explain it one more time please?.

I can't explain it any better than I did in post #2.

But if you can describe exactly the situation, I'll try again. Tell us:

Who is speaking?
Who is he or she speaking to?
Where are they?
What are they doing?
Who is the person who gave them the fake address?
How does the speaker feel at the time of speaking?

 

[soundtrack12]

I can't explain it any better than I did in post #2.

But if you can describe exactly the situation, I'll try again. Tell us:

Who is speaking? a guy
Who is he or she speaking to? to a group of friends
Where are they? at the wrong address, basically speaking at a deserted street
What are they doing? they thought they were going at the right address but it wasn't right. After they appeared, the guy got angry and said "I can't believe he gave us the wrong address"
Who is the person who gave them the fake address?a douchebag
How does the speaker feel at the time of speaking?He felt angry

.

 

[teechar]

If they've given up on trying to find the right address, they might say on the way home:
I (still) can't believe he gave us a fake address.

If they're still trying to find the place, the person might say:
I can't believe he's given us a fake address.

 

[soundtrack12]

Thanks a lot!

 

[teechar]

You're welcome, soundtrack12.
In future, just click Thank/Like instead of writing a new post to say thanks.