The scenario is that you have been waiting for your daughter or wife that is visiting a friend of hers. Your son complains about them taking so long.
In this scenario I would say:
It's about time she came home
But then again this construction attracted my attention, and I would like to know whether it is correct or not.
It's about time she's come home
Edit:
Incidentally: what about this construction: It's about time [to verb] as in:
It's about time to leave now.
Is it plain wrong?
P.S:
I think the construction is alright regardless of my example being awkward. I have found this by Robert Feder, The Chicago Sun-Times, 2007 via COCA:
We did the documentary about four years ago. It 's about time to go
back and do a follow-up.
Best Answer
Your initial instincts were better. It's about time she came home.
It is a subjunctive. But better would be
Yes, she should be home by now.
When your wife or daughter finally arrives, very late, then you would say:
It's about time she came home!
EDIT: You would exclaim the above only after wife|daughter had finally gotten home because it means The person has done what was expected of him or her (in this case, gotten home) but has taken a very long time to do it. Another example: diner at a restaurant waiting a very long time for the waiter to come over to his table. Waiter finally arrives. Diner says curtly:
It's about time you came over! or It's about time you waited on me!
The Sun-Times example We did the documentary about four years ago. It's about time to go back and do a follow-up. has an infinitive "to go" after "it's about time" whereas your sentence has a past-tense "came" (acting in a subjunctive role). The Sun-Times scenario is not an analogue for your situation.
The follow-up is due. Your wife|daughter is overdue.
If the documentary producer wanted to convey the idea that the follow up ought really to have been done long before now, that too much time has elapsed, he would say:
It's about time we went back and did a follow-up.
EDIT 2:
And to confuse things even further, intonation pattern can change the meaning.
It's about time she came home!
means she has not yet arrived and is long overdue.
It's about time she came home!
means she has finally arrived home.