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Question aboute a quote from a TV show where I've noticed two different tenses in the same sentence

English Language & Usage Asked on October 31, 2021

there is a famous quote from Game of Thrones Episode 10 season 3 where a character says "Any man who must say, "I am the king" is no true king. I’ll make sure you understand that when I’ve won your war for you." I’ve noticed that there is two different tenses in the second part of the quote where we can see "I’ll" which is supposed to refer to the future, and then he said "when I’ve won" which is supposed to refer to the past, so I’m a little bit confused, thanks in advance for your answer.

One Answer

The second part of the second sentence uses the present perfect, which isn't exactly the past tense. The present perfect is used in the present to show a relationship to something done or completed in the past, almost always at a time close to the present.

For example, "I have done my homework" is something you would say in the present to acknowledge that, at some point shortly before the present, you completed your homework.

The first part of the second sentence is just the simple future ("I will make sure you understand...").

In this case, Tywin (the character) is saying that when he can say in the present that the war is won (by him), then he will (in the near future) be able to show the king that no true king needs to say "I am the king."

Answered by Michael Alvis on October 31, 2021

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