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Tenses
Feb 20, 2011 16:39:44 GMT -6
Post by virtuella on Feb 20, 2011 16:39:44 GMT -6
I'm currently having a little problem with tenses. Somewhere back in the dawn of time, I learned this:
If you write in past tense, then any action prior to the events of the present action is reported in the pluperfect.
If you write in present tense, then any action prior to the events of the present action is reported in the present perfect.
However, I'm no longer sure whether I learned that in the German class or the English class. I've come across two notions to the contrary.
1) Long chunk of text, I was told, should not be in the pluperfect, even if they are prior to the action, because too many times "had" sounds awkward. Can anyone confirm this?
2) My husband swears that it's wrong to write this:
She hears Uncle Hans say that he’s glad someone called Ivan didn’t get to the moon first. She wonders if this Ivan will arrive a little later in another rocket. She hasn’t thought until now that it was a race. Four days ago, she has watched – just after lunch, rather than so close to bedtime, though bedtime is suspended today – only a single rocket taking off like a massive biro with a fiery tail.
Finlay says it should be "she had watched" but I think you can't use the pluperfect in a present tense passage. I'm wondering now, though, whether it should be simple past?
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Tenses
Feb 20, 2011 17:36:08 GMT -6
Post by randy on Feb 20, 2011 17:36:08 GMT -6
I'd be inclined to use the simple past:
Four days ago, she has watched – just after lunch, rather than so close to bedtime, though bedtime is suspended today – only a single rocket taking off like a massive biro with a fiery tail.
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