A comment someone made to you

Question

Which one of the following is correct?1: If you are feeling down because of a stupid comment someone says to you online or in real life...2: If you are feeling down because of a stupid comment someone made/said to you online or in real life

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I would backshift to past, or even better, use present perfect, "someone has made/said."

Dave Phillips · Answer

Yes Avangi I totally agree.  Somebody has made.

Avangi · Answer

I'm not actually prepared to say that present tense is incorrect, although it may be.

My ear accepts two simple present tenses more readily than a simple and a continuous.

If you feel down about what someone says, etc.
I think this can be taken as two present tense events.
I see what you mean.

(Both simple present, although we know logically the seeing follows the meaning - arguably.)

If you are feeling down about what someone says/said, etc.
This more clearly places the feeling now and the saying prior.

Jackson6612 · Answer

AvangiI'm not actually prepared to say that present tense is incorrect, although it may be.

My ear accepts two simple present tenses more readily than a simple and a continuous.

The same with me. I too wouldn't say that the original is incorrect, but the suggested alternatives involving simple present take precedence over, and are more natural.

Avangi(Both simple present, although we know logically the seeing follows the meaning - arguably.)

'arguably' modifies 'follows'?

'logically seeing follows the meaning', true, this tells us a language sometimes encodes the flow of time, emotions, etc, differently as compared to the usual definitions of tenses.

I see you have used 'backshift' in your previous post. In what sense did you use it? It's not reported speech, is it?

I thank you for always helping me out in my journey to learn English.

Avangi · Answer

I may be taking too many liberties with "backshift" in borrowing it from reported speech.

In these waters, it seems to be a well-known and convenient term for letting a current situation agree (match tense) with a prior action, in accordance with common practice. The prospect of having to explain it each time in longhand is daunting.

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I'd say "arguably" qualifies "know" adverbially. That is, one may argue as to whether or not we really know this.
But you could make a case for its qualifying "follows."

A comment someone made to you

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