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Yet another よく書けている
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I just now noticed something about the past tense. Suppose something happens to the following:
Your friend writes an essay
Right thereafter you read it.
Right thereafter it burns away.
Ten years later you say to him that it is (was?) well written.
What should you say?
よく書けていた？
よく書けている？
The answer is clearly よく書けていた。 This is easy. Next:
Your friend writes an essay.
It is in the room A.
He is in the room B.
You read it in the A.
You go to him in the B.
You say to him that it is well written.
The essay is still in the A.
What should you say?
よく書けていた？
よく書けている？
You can say either. Both are very natural. This suggests this た is not the maker of the past tense. I think this た means you experience something in the past, not something that you are talking about occurs (occurred?) in the past.
Your friend writes an essay
Right thereafter you read it.
Right thereafter it burns away.
Ten years later you say to him that it is (was?) well written.
What should you say?
よく書けていた？
よく書けている？
The answer is clearly よく書けていた。 This is easy. Next:
Your friend writes an essay.
It is in the room A.
He is in the room B.
You read it in the A.
You go to him in the B.
You say to him that it is well written.
The essay is still in the A.
What should you say?
よく書けていた？
よく書けている？
You can say either. Both are very natural. This suggests this た is not the maker of the past tense. I think this た means you experience something in the past, not something that you are talking about occurs (occurred?) in the past.
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Right thereafter it burns away. (I would combine this and the previous sentence "Right after, you read it, then it burns away.") while both are written correctly combining them makes them a little easier to read.
Ten years later you say tell to him that it is was well written.
It is in the room A.
He is in the room B.
You read it in the room A.
You go to him in the room B. (for these 2 you could have also written it "You read it in A. You go to him in B." or again combine them "You read it in room A, then go to him in room B.")
The essay is still in the A.
I think this た means you experienced something in the past, not something that you are talking about occurs (occurred?) that occurred in the past.