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tense switching

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New2grammar  #530403  Sat, 21 Jun 08 04:24 AM
If a man comes home early and finds his wife in bed with another man, raged by what he saw, he got into a fight with his wife’s lover, subsequently killing him with a knife during the struggle.

Is this  tense switching common? I tend to do this in casual conversation too.
Thanks.


  
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CalifJim  #530408  Sat, 21 Jun 08 04:45 AM
 Tense switching is not at all unusual, but this case is very strange to my ear!

It's the if structure that makes it strange.  If he comes home, he got into a fight???  No.  That's not a credible use of an if clause.

CJ 

  
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New2grammar  #530409  Sat, 21 Jun 08 04:49 AM
Thank you, CJ.
  
Marius Hancu  #530490  Sat, 21 Jun 08 10:12 AM
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