In Present tenses^x, Grammar^x

Yoong Liat wrote: The teacher said, "The world is round." In reported speech, it would be The teacher said that the world is round. One of my English usage books says it can be reported as The teacher said that the world was round. ( was consistent with said in tense) What do you...

Hoa Thai wrote: Yoong Liat wrote: You're right. In an exam, it is advisable to use a verb in the past tense. However, in fact, if the marker is knowlegeable, he will not mark the answer as wrong. Hi Yoong Liat, I agree. I have had a chance to discuss this issue with many English teachers,...

Any good grammar book will tell you that the simple present tense is frequently used and also perfectly acceptable in reported speech when you are reporting a general truth or a still current (still currently factual) situation. In such cases, you can use either the simple past OR the simple...

I'm trying to help my father edit a past-tense fictional story, and he keeps starting sentences with phrases containing a present tense verb. I've told him that this is incorrect grammar, but he thinks it is acceptable. Who's correct? ex: "Driving down the road, my hair moved with the wind." ...

Grammar Geek wrote: What is the context for It's 10 minutes' meeting or It's a 10 minutes' meeting ? Those don't sound normal at all! So I'm missing something. It's a meeting of 10 minutes sounds grammatical, but not natural. But my mind doesn't rebel against it like the two above. Hi GG I...

Hi, some of my old grammar knowledge tells me that there should be present tense after a "did" in questions. E.g. "where did you get that ..." <<< This is correct. But on the other hand i sometimes read or hear other tenses. E.g. "where did you grew up". Is that simply wrong? Yes,...

Hi all, some of my old grammar knowledge tells me that there should be present tense after a "did" in questions. E.g. "where did you get that ..." But on the other hand i sometimes read or hear other tenses. E.g. "where did you grew up". Is that simply wrong? Thx in advance for your answers. Jarod

The structure "Used to" is used only in past tense to indicate a past habitual action. It is always followed by an infintive phrase: I used to turn up early and prepare the lessons To express the same idea in the present tense, we use frequency adverbs such as always, often, generally,...

Grammar Geek wrote: No, there's the same problem. I don't think they could have done what they did. If you believe they did it (and you must, because you use the phrase "they did") then you can be expressing you belief that they can't in the present. Either you disbelief is in the...

wrote: Thanks Goodman. This is an area I always find confusing. If I understand you correctly, you are saying the phrase locked in in Anyone out there? I'm locked in is in a passive construction. I find it difficult to accept action verbs in present tense unless they are used in...