I got this sentence それは、あの店が売ったお弁当でしょ but ended up typing in 売ったことがある instead (which is wrong). Now, I started to wonder if that would’ve been acceptable. I actually asked ChatGPT about this but I’m not entirely sure if I can trust its answer:
- それは、あの店が売ったお弁当でしょう: This sentence means, “That must be the bento that the store sold.” It’s indicating that the specific bento you’re referring to was sold by that store.
- それは、あの店が売ったことがあるお弁当でしょう: This sentence translates to, “That must be the bento that the store has sold before.” By adding “ことがある”, you’re implying that the store has experience of selling that kind of bento in the past. It does not necessarily mean the specific bento you’re referring to was sold at that store.
While the first sentence refers to a specific instance of sale, the second sentence refers to a recurring or past event, that the store has experience of selling that type of bento. So, while they are similar, the nuanced difference lies in whether you’re talking about a specific instance (first sentence) or a general past occurrence (second sentence).
Is ChatGPT right about the “this particular sale” vs. “more general” nuance?