Understanding Tenses in Apple Questions: Had vs Has

The question often arises of whether to use 'had' or 'has' when discussing the number of apples left. This choice hinges largely on the time frame you're addressing. If you're referring to an action in the past—a past event where Ben ate some apples—the correct form is 'had'. If the event is in the present, you would use 'has'. This distinction is crucial for clarity in your communication.

For instance, let's revisit the original problem: 'Ben had 10 apples. He ate 2 of them. How many apples had/has he left?'

If we're focusing on the past event, the question should be phrased as, 'How many apples had he left?'

It's important to also note that due to the natural food cycle, fruits like apples can spoil over time. Therefore, if the scenario is set several years in the past (as in your case, mentioned as five years ago), it's reasonable to assume that all the apples would have rotted and none are left. However, if the context is more flexible and suggests that Ben might have planted those seeds, you could hypothetically consider the possibility of an orchard beginning to grow.

Simple Subtraction: How Many Apples are Left?

Subtraction is a straightforward method to solve such apple-based questions. If Ben had 10 apples and ate 2 of them, the straightforward calculation is:

10 - 2 8

Thus, Ben has 8 apples left. This form of logic holds if the focus is on the immediate present, or recently past, scenario where the apples are still in the same quantity they were before the eating event.

Boundaries and Ownership: Yours or Someone Else's?

The concept of ownership plays a significant role in these apple questions too. If the apples belong to you, and you take away 3, you have that number of apples—whether you consume them or not. For example, if it’s your bowl, you still have 9 apples because you took 3.

But if you take 3 apples from a basket that doesn’t belong to you, the number of apples in the basket remains the same (10). Additionally, if you take 3 apples from a different source altogether, the basket would still contain 10 apples. What you take isn’t subtracted from the basket’s total.

Concluding Remarks

The final conclusion is that the choice between 'had' and 'has' depends on the time frame and the ownership context. In a scenario like Ben eating apples, the past tense would be more appropriate. Ownership and intent also affect how we interpret the questions.

So, when dealing with questions about apples or any food items, remember to consider the details and the time frames involved to ensure accurate and clear communication. Enjoy counting your apples accordingly!