Asked by Ilma
                Hello.
I will really appreciate some help.
1)Is it possible to use "after" in the pattern "Present Perfect after Past Simple" or is it to be "since", for example: "Relations between the countries have worsened after (since)a terrorist attack killed 20 civilians last year"?
2)Do you think it's natural to say "to have a telephone talk", for example "The President had a telephone talk with his Russian counterpart"
3)Would you say "a reduction of troops" or "a reduction in troops", maybe both are OK?
Thank you very much for help.
            
        I will really appreciate some help.
1)Is it possible to use "after" in the pattern "Present Perfect after Past Simple" or is it to be "since", for example: "Relations between the countries have worsened after (since)a terrorist attack killed 20 civilians last year"?
2)Do you think it's natural to say "to have a telephone talk", for example "The President had a telephone talk with his Russian counterpart"
3)Would you say "a reduction of troops" or "a reduction in troops", maybe both are OK?
Thank you very much for help.
Answers
                    Answered by
            Writeacher
            
    1. "after" is better, yes.
2. Better phrasing is this: "a telephone conversation" (or even "a phone conversation").
3. Both are OK.
    
2. Better phrasing is this: "a telephone conversation" (or even "a phone conversation").
3. Both are OK.
                    Answered by
            David Q/R
            
    Just to argue the point in 3), I think I'd say that neither is quite correct.  What the writer actually means is a reduction in troop numbers.  "Reducing troops" somehow implies that you're making them smaller, which doesn't seem very likely!
    
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