1. He admitted cheating on the test.
2. He admitted that he cheated on the test.
3. He admitted that he had cheated on the test.
cf. He admitted having cheated on the test.
(Does #1 mean #2 or #3?)
4. He admits cheating on the test.
5. He admits that he cheats on the test.
6. He admits that he cheated on the test.
cf. He admits having cheated on the test.
(Does #4 mean #5 or #6?) •English - Writeacher, Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 8:13am
Only #5 is not quite correct. All others are fine, depending on when the cheating took place.
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Thank you for your help.
(Does #4 mean #6? or #5?)
4. He admits cheating on the test.
5. He admits that he cheats on the test.
6. He admits that he cheated on the test.
Does #4 mean #5 or #6 or else?
5. He cheats on the test and he admits it. (on that kind of test, regularly)
6. He cheated on the test and he admits it.
4 could mean either 5 or 6. If the test was only given once, it means #6. If the test is given repeatedly (as for renewing a driving license, for example), it might mean #5. Either way, he admits that he cheated on the test. In the revised #5, again, if the test is given repeatedly (or the same kind of test). #6 implies a on-time-only test, but COULD be one that is given more than once and he cheated on all of them.
In this context:
- #4 means that he currently admits to cheating on the test.
- #5 means that he admits to regularly cheating on the test.
- #6 means that he admits to having cheated on the test in the past.
So, #4 means #4, #5 means #5, and #6 means #6.
In sentences 4, 5, and 6, the person is admitting to cheating on the test. However, there are some subtle differences in the meaning of each sentence.
Sentence 4, "He admits cheating on the test," implies that the person is currently admitting to the act of cheating on the test. This suggests that the cheating is an ongoing action or a habitual behavior.
Sentence 5, "He admits that he cheats on the test," also implies that the person is currently admitting to cheating on the test. However, the use of the present tense verb "cheats" suggests that it is a regular or recurring behavior rather than just an isolated incident.
Sentence 6, "He admits that he cheated on the test," indicates that the person is admitting to having cheated on the test in the past. The use of the past tense verb "cheated" suggests that the cheating occurred at a specific point in time and may not be ongoing.
To determine which version is appropriate, consider the context or the specific time frame being referred to in the conversation or narrative.