I'm writing a report about actions that I have taken. Which form is the correct one?
were,
have been or
have?
I have used the first tense were in the sentence:
"The minutes of the first coordinating and consultative committees meetings were translated into English and then sent back to the manager"
If it's incorrect then how should I write it?
Best Answer
This means that the minutes transformed, by themselves, into English. It is unlikely to be what you meant; it probably wasn't the minutes that did the translation.
Of the other two options:
Uses the simple past to talk about the fact that this translation happened.
Uses the present perfect to talk about the fact that this translation has happened.
In this case these are both perfectly grammatical, and both amount to the same thing.
If you were talking about the process that was followed you would likely favour the first, because it focuses more upon the action that took place in the past.
If you were talking about the fact that the translations are now with the manager you would likely favour the second, because it focuses more upon the fact impact that past event has on the present.
Neither would be incorrect in either case, but that slightly different focus would be a reason for favouring one over the other.
(Note incidentally, "committee meetings" rather than "committees meetings", when a noun is used as a modifier, it's used in the singular, "book shops" rather than "books shops" and even "trouser press" rather than "trousers press" despite trousers normally being plural).