sentence structure: it's only... that...

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Marshmellow_coffee

#296929 Fri, 24 Nov 06 12:46 AM

Hi! I'm not sure if this is a correct sentence structure:

It's only after I closed the door that I remembered I forgot the keys.

Thanks!

Marshmellow_coffee

Joined on Wed, Nov 22 2006

New Member (15)

Sentence structures

Marius Hancu

#296934 Fri, 24 Nov 06 12:55 AM

I think it's fine/tolerated, a simplification from the full/stricter:

It was only after I closed the door that I remembered (that) I had forgotten the keys.

The final relative ("that") in this one above allows a tense simplification in the subordinate after it (I had forgotten->I forgot, past perfect-> simple perfect, see Swan) after it and it may be eliminated itself without loss of clarity.

Also, "It's" is used many times in this "atemporal" way, for past situations, but mostly in informal writing, but also in the New York Times: Smile [:)]

-----

Après Janet, A Deluge

... radio market. It's only after Mr. Stern turned against Mr. ...

March 21, 2004 - By FRANK RICH (NYT) - Arts

--------

However, you may want to consider other, stricter, alternatives:

-----
It was only after I closed the book that it dawned on me that feeling
better in this way made everything worse.

By JUDITH SHULEVITZ, The New York Times
http://tinyurl.com/ym7qyf
-----

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Past perfect, Sentence structures, Tenses

Grammar Geek

#296936 Fri, 24 Nov 06 01:07 AM

Hi Marshmellow,

It's can be "it is" or "it has" but not "it was." As MH points out, "it was" is the right contruction, so I'd recommend removing the contraction and making it "It was."