# it's high time that somebody did



## valy822

Ciao a tutti! Is this an idiomatic expression, isnt' it?
It should correspond to the Italian expression _è proprio ora che qualcuno faccia._
So, in the sentence:

*It's high time he ... a place of his own.*
-finds
-has found
-had found
-found

the right answer is _found_, isn't it?
Then, I'd like to know if in this kind of expression the verb is always at the simple past tense.
Thank you.


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## Paulfromitaly

It's about time (high time) he found a place of his own.


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## valy822

Grazie Paul.


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## TimLA

valy822 said:


> *It's high time he ... a place of his own.*
> -finds
> -has found
> -had found
> -found
> 
> the right answer is _found_, isn't it?
> Then, I'd like to know if in this kind of expression the verb is always at the simple past tense.


 
It's high__time he found a place of his own.
It's about time he found a place of his own.
It's______time he found a place of his own.

As stated by Paul, I would choose "found" as the *best* answer.
But I have heard many times "...he finds a place..." and it also sounds OK.
Non riesco a spiegarlo...

With respect to your second question

It is time that he found a (job, wife, life, place)

It is time that he finds  a (job, wife, life, place)
This is difficult - it may be poor English, but I have heard it commonly used. Sorry I can't explain why.


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## alcesta

Could the "found" after "high time" possibly be a subjunctive, and not the simple past tense?


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## TimLA

alcesta said:


> Could the "found" after "high time" possibly be a subjunctive, and not the simple past tense?


 
Interesting idea, but this sentence would speak against it:

It's high time he walked to the store and bought some food.


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## krebber

I think it is an Americanization of the English  "nigh", meaning it's near in time, place, or relationship. I have also heard "..it's nigh time".


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## virgilio

alcesta,
          Congratulations! you have, as we say, hit the nail on the head. In English we have a strange 'future' subjunctive which is  identical in form to the simple past tense of the indicative mode - although, of course, it is not the same thing.
Its meaning is equivalent to the verb "should" followed by the 'naked' infinitive of the verb concerned.
For example,
It is high time (that) he found a place of his own
It is high time (that) he should find a place of his own
These two sentences mean the same thing.

It is found also in conditional sentences referring to future time:
If I said such a thing, you would not believe me.
If I should say such a thing, you would not believe me.

Best wishes
Virgilio


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## alcesta

TimLA said:


> Interesting idea, but this sentence would speak against it:
> 
> It's high time he walked to the store and bought some food.


I'm afraid I can't see any difference between these two sentences... past participle is used, but doesn't have the meaning of past time, does it?

I've got quite confused now...

Edit: I hadn't seen virgilio's post. Thank you so much!


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## TimLA

alcesta said:


> I'm afraid I can't see any difference between these two sentences... past participle is used, but doesn't have the meaning of past time, does it?
> 
> I've got quite confused now...


 
Me too.
I think you may be right...it may be subjunctive.
But I can't think of why.
Maybe I'll do an English only thread and see what they say.


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## giovannino

TimLA said:


> I think you may be right...it may be subjunctive.
> But I can't think of why.
> Maybe I'll do an English only thread and see what they say.


 
Maybe there's a simple way of finding out if it's a subjunctive. In the subjunctive "was" is replaced by "were". Would you use use "were" after "it's about/high time..."?
For example, would you say "it's about time he were told to behave"?
By the way, "it's" or "it was"?


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## valy822

TimLA said:


> It's high__time he found a place of his own.
> It's about time he found a place of his own.
> It's______time he found a place of his own.
> 
> As stated by Paul, I would choose "found" as the *best* answer.
> But I have heard many times "...he finds a place..." and it also sounds OK.
> Non riesco a spiegarlo...
> 
> With respect to your second question
> 
> It is time that he found a (job, wife, life, place)
> 
> It is time that he finds a (job, wife, life, place)
> This is difficult - it may be poor English, but I have heard it commonly used. Sorry I can't explain why.


 
Thanks Tim! So, you're telling me that both the simple past and the simple present are possible in this expression, that is for example _finds_ and _found_ or at least they are both used.



> I think you may be right...it may be subjunctive





> In English we have a strange 'future' subjunctive which is identical in form to the simple past tense of the indicative mode - although, of course, it is not the same thing.
> Its meaning is equivalent to the verb "should" followed by the 'naked' infinitive of the verb concerned.
> For example,
> It is high time (that) he found a place of his own
> It is high time (that) he should find a place of his own
> This two sentences mean the same thing.
> 
> It is found also in conditional sentences referring to future time:
> If I said such a thing, you would not believe me.
> If I should say such a thing, you would not believe me.


 
Hi Virgilio. In Italian, we also have the subjunctive here. My sentence would be è _ora che trovi un posto per conto suo_.


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## virgilio

giovannino,
              Re:"Would you use use "were" after "it's about/high time..."?
For example, would you say "it's about time he were told to behave"?

No. By the way, it is not completely accurate to say "In the subjunctive "was" is replaced by "were".  That is sometimes true and sometimes not.

" By the way, "it's" or "it was""
Tutt'e due sono possibili, "it's" se l'obbligazione è presente, "it was", se l'obbligazione viene rappresentata come preterita.


Best wishes
Virgilio


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## krebber

giovannino said:


> Maybe there's a simple way of finding out if it's a subjunctive. In the subjunctive "was" is replaced by "were". Would you use use "were" after "it's about/high time..."?
> For example, would you say "it's about time he were told to behave"?
> By the way, "it's" or "it was"?



He was at the house. (singular)
They were at the house. (plural)

It is time.
It was time.
NOT "It were time"


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## Panpan

virgilio said:


> giovannino,
> Re:"Would you use use "were" after "it's about/high time..."?
> For example, would you say "it's about time he were told to behave"?
> 
> No. By the way, it is not completely accurate to say "In the subjunctive "was" is replaced by "were". That is sometimes true and sometimes not.
> 
> " By the way, "it's" or "it was""
> Tutt'e due sono possibili, "it's" se l'obbligazione è presente, "it was", se l'obbligazione viene rappresentata come preterita.
> 
> 
> Best wishes
> Virgilio


 
But you can say: 'If he were told to behave, the situation might improve.' In your example, it is the verb 'behave' (not 'to be'/'was'/'were') that can be used in the subjunctive: 'It is time that he behave!'
Panpan


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## TimLA

It's the subjunctive.
HERE's the link to English only.


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## giovannino

Grazie della spiegazione, virgilio. 

Can a passive be used after "it's about/high time..."? Can you say "it's about time that ugly building was knocked down"?


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## giovannino

krebber said:


> He was at the house. (singular)
> They were at the house. (plural)
> 
> It is time.
> It was time.
> NOT "It were time"


 
Sorry, krebber, I didn't make myself clear. I was wondering whether "were" could be used in the clause _following _"it is/was time".


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## virgilio

giovannino,
               RE:"Can you say "it's about time that ugly building was knocked down"?

Yes. Absolutely correct
Virgilio


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## Sweet Tegare

"High time" is indicates the activity already happened... this is why it translates to "its about time".

Ex. Its about time you did that.... 
NOT- It about time you do (does) that- INCORRECT!!


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## TimLA

giovannino said:


> Sorry, krebber, I didn't make myself clear. I was wondering whether "were" could be used in the clause _following _"it is/was time".


 
It could, but in the subjunctive.

If it were time, I would go home.


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## valy822

Thank you Panpan for your contribution from the EO forum and thanks to everybody for your precious help.


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## virgilio

panpan,
           Yes, I see your point and it is a subtle one. I must admit I had to think about it quite a while. It's a close thing but the difference surely is what is sometimes called "sequence of tenses".
In your sentence "'If he were told to behave, the situation might improve.", both verbs are in 'historic' (_aka_ secondary) tenses (both past tenses), whereas in giovannino's sentence "it's about time he were told to behave"?
we have a present tense (primary sequence) in the major clause ("is") and and a secondary tense "were" in the subordinate clause.
I know that occasionally tense sequence is mixed in common parlance but it is generally regard as incorrect.

However, I must admit, a fine distinction.
Best wishes
Virgilio


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## Panpan

valy822 said:


> Thank you Panpan for your contribution from the EO forum and thanks to everybody for your precious help.


Da niente ... Ciao ... Panpan


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## giovannino

I've found a thread about my question (is "it's time he were..." acceptable?) in English Only. River and Cuchuflete thought it was fine ("it's time he were in bed"), Panjandrum didn't (he would only say "it's time he was in bed").

EDIT: A few examples from Google

*It's time he were* impeached

*It's time he were* forced to be president of the United States

So I think if we are going to have a terrorism tsar, perhaps *it's time he were* given some powers


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## valy822

Panpan said:


> Di niente ... Ciao ... Panpan


 
Hope you won't mind Panpan!


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## virgilio

Sweet Tegare,
                   I'm very sorry to have to disagree with you but I must. If, as you say, the activity (by which I assume you mean the 'recommended' activity) had already happened, the whole sentence would be without purpose or meaning.
I'm afraid that you seem to have misunderstood the meaning of these "high time" expressions - at least, as they are used in English, unless I have myself misunderstood what you meant.
Your example "its about time you did that.... " is indeed correct.
If I have misunderstood your intention, please would you clarify.

Best wishes
Virgilio


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## Papero

Hello,

I have come across this expression several times and I wonder if it is correct. 

It should be the equivalent of the italian "è tempo che andiamo" or "è tempo di andare". 

Can this be considered an example of subjonctive? And why is it in the past?


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## MünchnerFax

In questa vecchia discussione nella quale ho spostato il tuo post qualcuno ha già dato delle risposte sull'argomento. La risposta rapida alla domanda "Perché va al passato?" è "Perché sì".


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## Papero

Mille grazie! Qualche volta nelle lingue non c'è risposta razionale...


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