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I'm new to this forum but have used other StackExchange sites, so go easy on me if I make a mistake :P

I have a question, and that question is "Can you use seemed correctly in this sentence?".

"seemed to have never play a console game".

Any help or information would be loved. Thank you :)

BaeFell
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    On StackOverflow, you’re expected to share your code and describe how you’ve tried unsuccessfully to solve the problem you’re facing. Similarly, on ELU you’re expected to share what exactly it is that makes you ask about something, and what you’ve done to try to find out the answer for yourself. Why do you think that using the present or past tense here is or is not correct? Where have you looked to find out if it is before asking here? What is the context in which the fragment occurs (≈ your code)? – Janus Bahs Jacquet Feb 05 '15 at 18:13
  • I'm not entirely sure if it is seems. I couldn't find anything elsewhere so I am asking here. Also - from the threads linked, I assume that seemed is past tense and seems is present? – BaeFell Feb 05 '15 at 18:17
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    Yes, seems is present and seemed is past. Additionally, play is the infinitive. It cannot be used after have, though: have must be followed by the past participle, have played. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Feb 05 '15 at 18:20
  • I missed the -ed when typing it out. I have now got my answer :) Thanks! I was in past tense so seemed was correct. Thank you very much. – BaeFell Feb 05 '15 at 18:25
  • @JanusBahsJacquet Come on old bean. Let's never, ever use that post for a duplicate!!!! – Araucaria - Him Feb 06 '15 at 00:25

3 Answers3

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It is not a complete sentence as it does not contain a subject.

Who 'seemed never...'? I will assume it should read 'He seemed never...'.

Now you also have a confusion of tenses. Either you wish to say:

(He) seemed never to have played a video game or

(He) seems never to play a video game

Which is it?

WS2
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  • It appears I have missed the ed in played (didn't even notice it when typing out the sentence). The sentence is already directed at someone so the he part isn't required. – BaeFell Feb 05 '15 at 18:20
  • In fairness, you could say He seemed never to play a video game, meaning that at sometime in the past he did not seem to play a game. But what you couldn't say is what was in your OP, namely He seemed to have never play. Use of the auxilliary have requires the past participle played. – WS2 Feb 05 '15 at 18:24
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    And of course you can also say, “He seems to have never played a console game”. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Feb 05 '15 at 18:29
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"seemed to have never play a console game." Hold on to your check box. Never use being verbs. Just say, "He never played"; or rephrase, "He seemed ignorant of games." Its pretty easy to restate sentences.

Mauli Davidson
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Seemed is past tense. Your usage is corect.

Tom Ver Hoef
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