Learn English – after + past participle (for future events)

past-perfectpast-simplepast-tense

I find myself using the past participle a lot when talking about something in the future in conjunction with the word 'after' and I'm not really sure if this is grammatically acceptable.

For example:

Are you also going to clean the bathroom after you finished
cleaning the living room?

This is usually what I prefer to say but someone told be that it should be written like this :

Are you also going to clean the bathroom after you have finished
cleaning the living room?

or

Are you also going to clean the bathroom after you finish cleaning the
living room?

Here are three more examples:

Can you get gas after you pick up the car from the dealership?

or

Can you get gas after you picked up the car from the dealership?

or

Can you get gas after you have picked up the car from the dealership?

My question is basically, do I need to use the present perfect ( have + past participle), the present simple or just the simple past in the aforementioned cases?

Best Answer

It's ungrammaticsl to use the past tense following after when referring to the future,

You usually use the present simple following after when referring to the future.

I'll call you after we reach the airport, (Cambridge D7ctionary).

You can also use the present perfect as follows:

I'll call you after I have spoken to Adam.

So the first sentence having the after clause in the simple past is ungrammatical, and all the other sentences are grammatical.

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