In Present tenses^x, Jokes^x

I came across the following explanation:The Present Simple is used to give life and colour to the telling of a story. The Past Simple does not have the same dramatic effect. That is why jokes are often told in the present.

Hi, 1. Please tell me why it has to be in the present tense. Please look at 'says' at the Final Line. A Joke in "Think English", the name of a supplementary paper/insert that came with the Saturday, April 19, 2008 issue of JoongAng Daily/Herald International Tribune: The name...

Thank you, YoongLiat. But I somehow still feel uncomfortable. Saying "David likes to joke even with his parents" sounds to me like "David likes to joke with his friends and David LIKES to joke with his parents". Note the present tense and this makes me think he still likes to...

Actually I don't have problem with the last sentence. In fact, your suggestion works well in the last sentence. My problem is the tense switch. I know the easy way out is to stick to one tense from start to end like I did in the answers I provided (one in past tense and the other in present...

Here's my guess. I could be wrong. I would pick one tense and try to stick to it as much as possible. Sounds like you're interested in the present tense. So let's analyze it, which is my second version. David likes to joke, even with his parents (No problem. To me, it sounds like...

1. to steal the showa) Jack Nicholson stole the show in Batman. (question: is it possible to use this idiom as far as idioms are concerned? question2: would it be better to use here the pres. perfect?) I think this is fine, though when talking about movies (especially describing action), we...

Hi,I think it depends on the story. You can imagine you are in the story, at a certain point. So you can use present tenses to describe what happens around that point in time, and past tenses to talk about what happened before. But I'm not a novelist, I'm not good at telling stories, not even...

Vincent Teo wrote: Can you give me some comments? I know everyone has a best friend. My best friend is Mi. She is my class monitor. She is also my Church member jokes too. I hope our friendship will never end. You are inconsistent - keep to the present tense. Your last paragraph needs...

A: Where did you get that sweater? B: I got it at a department store in Quito. (past tense) C: Did you understand my joke? D: I got it! (past tense) W: Do you understand my joke? X: I get it! (present tense) Y: Where do you get your newspaper every morning? Z: I get it at...