From http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y2876e/y2876e0i.htm:
Once bargaining has started, other intermediaries remain at a distance and wait for their turn to deal, should the first intermediary fail to obtain the fisherman's lot.
Why has the writer used perfect tense in the above sentence?
If I say it with simple tense, does it mean the same?
Once bargaining is started, other intermediaries remain at a distance and wait for their turn to deal, should the first intermediary fail to obtain the fisherman's lot
If the writer just wants to say that when bargaining starts, other intermediaries remain at a distance, why he has used perfect tense?
If i Say "Once Match has cancelled other teams players remain at a distance". Is it correct then?
Best Answer
"Has started" is an active voice, present tense, perfect aspect construction. Since there is no object in the clause, this uses the intransitive sense of "to start". It means that there exists in the present tense some condition that the perfect action caused.
"Is started" is a passive voice, present tense, indefinite aspect construction. Because of the passive voice, it does not make sense to call this a simple tense. This uses the transitive sense of "to start". It implies that bargaining is started by some agent. The author would avoid this form if there is no specific action or signal that starts the bargaining.
The simple present-tense form is "starts". It is an active voice, present tense, indefinite aspect construction. Like the present perfect, it would use the intransitive sense of "to start" in this context.
The author could have chosen to use the simple form. That some condition exists because the bargaining starts can be reasonably inferred. The use of the perfect construction, however, makes that condition explicit. With the simple form, the finished action may have a current effect. With the present perfect form, the finished action certainly has a current effect.