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Mitch sat back in his chair and took a long sip of his drink. Now the deal was final. He breathed easier and smiled in the direction of the magnificent Caribbean. 'So when do we get your files?' Tarrance asked. 'Thought you didn't want them. They're too clean, remember?'

'We want the files, Mitch, because when we get the files, then we've got you. You've proved yourself when you hand us your files, your license to practice law, so to speak.'

Rogg Toto
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    It's a "universal truth" type of context, where we often use Present Tense rather than Future to refer to a "consequence, result". As, for example, A stitch in time saves nine, or When it rains, it pours. That's as distinct from a specific prediction, like When midnight strikes, it will be* a new day. The speaker could* have said "..when we have got* the files, then we will have got you",* but imho Present Tense emphasizes the *inevitable consequence* (getting / obtaining the files and getting / "defeating" Mitch are effectively being "equated"; one implies the other). – FumbleFingers Feb 24 '24 at 00:46
  • ...actually, not "defeating". But it's not relevant to the syntax of then we've got you rather than then we will have got you exactly what "getting" Mitch actually means here. – FumbleFingers Feb 24 '24 at 00:50
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    Does this answer your question? Simple Present for Future Actions. 'Have got' is idiomatic for 'have' [you banged to rights] here, but the present simple is often used for likely (perhaps as here if a condition is fulfilled) future events. We fly tomorrow at three. / If he uses the card he stole, we have him. – Edwin Ashworth Feb 24 '24 at 15:35
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    This is not simple present but present perfect and thus not a duplicate of that question. – TimR Feb 25 '24 at 11:34
  • Please add the source of the text. – Joachim Feb 25 '24 at 12:05

1 Answers1

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The speaker is telling Mitch what the present looks like at some time in the future:

The Cambridge Dictionary explains:

The present simple is used to talk about the future (I work tomorrow)

  1. Her birthday falls on a Friday next year. ( a known fact about the future)

  2. She has her driving test next week, does she? ( a fixed arrangement)

  3. The train arrives at 20.12. ( a timetable)

  4. What time does their flight to Seoul leave? ( a schedule)

Your example is an example of 1. above

when we get the files,

The "when" = at the time that. The present tense imagines that the time has arrived and that time becomes the present referent point for the action.

then we've got you.

The "then" = and, immediately, as a result.

The tense here is related to the "when" clause. Again, the present tense imagines that the time has arrived and that becomes the present referent point for the action.

You've proved yourself when you hand us your files.

This is in the past because the action of proving himself has ceased as soon as "they" have the files, and having the files is in the present.

Greybeard
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