Learn English – The bodies have been (were) sent to hospital: difference in meaning

british-englishpast-tensepresent-perfect

The bodies have been sent to hospital for post-mortem examination.

The bodies was sent to hospital for post-mortem examination.

What is the difference between them?

Reference: Stomp

Best Answer

The second is ungrammatical. It should be The bodies were sent to the hospital.

The difference between the first and the corrected second sentences is that the present perfect in the first suggests some present relevance of the sending; the second merely locates the sending in the past.

In the newspaper article you linked us to, the detective is speaking of a very recent action, and suggesting that the bodies are still at thei destination.