Tense after helping verb

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Anonymous  #116602  Fri, 08 Jul 05 04:53 PM


I have a confusion...after an auxilary verb like was/were do I still use the past tense behind it? or i just use the present tense like the tense "I did do my homework"?

  
science_guru  #116610  Fri, 08 Jul 05 05:40 PM

In general was/were used to represent a an activity in progress in the past. For example.

He was running.

I was eating.

You were going to the city.

It is common to say "I am done". May be it is correct to say "I was done". I am not sure about the other used of was/were.

But one thing is sure that if you use "did" then the main verb should be in present form. For example

I did not do my homework.  (I will rewrite your sentence as "I did my homework")

I did not go to movie.

Did you find you wallet?

SG

 

  
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cairn  #116640  Fri, 08 Jul 05 09:59 PM

Well, after was/were you usually use either the present participle (progressive aspect) or the past participle (passive voice), as in:

   He was selling.

   It was sold.

It is also possible to use the infinitive as in:

   He was to sell the house. (this one is about a plan/ arrangement)

Or even a perfect infinitive as in:

   I was to have started work last week, but I changed my mind. (a planned event did not happen)

 

An important remark, SG:

if you use "did" then the main verb should NOT be in its present form!

It should be in the infinitive, or otherwise you will get something like "*He did goes."

I suppose you confused the names.

Rgds,

cairn

 

  
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Anonymous  #133253  Fri, 02 Sep 05 06:36 PM
With "if" I have been taught to say
If I "were"........
however, all the other persons are the same as always

Don't know rhyme or reason, but it was taught as proper grammar
  
pieanne  #133277  Fri, 02 Sep 05 07:48 PM

Hi, Anon,

"If I were..." is correct. Yet it would be better if you gave us whole sentences we could comment upon. And yes, all the persons are the same everywhere, when you have a close look at them...  Sad [:(]

 

  
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MrPedantic  #133302  Fri, 02 Sep 05 11:57 PM

...all the persons are the same everywhere, when you have a close look at them...

An uncharacteristically jaundiced statement...yet...sadly...true... Crying [:'(] 

MrP

  
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