0
Takehisa Tanaka Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
About "s" added to a third person singular verb.
About "s" added to a third person singular verb.
This sentence is from the dictionary:
"The announcement that war had started set off a huge selling frenzy in the stock market."
I think, the subject of "set off" is "the announcement", and it is third person singular.
So, "set off" should take the form of third person singular, and be "sets off", I thought.
Is my line of thought wrong?
Could you tell me, please?
This sentence is from the dictionary:
"The announcement that war had started set off a huge selling frenzy in the stock market."
I think, the subject of "set off" is "the announcement", and it is third person singular.
So, "set off" should take the form of third person singular, and be "sets off", I thought.
Is my line of thought wrong?
Could you tell me, please?
Top answer
I'll give you a hint, Takehisa. It's not meant to be in the present simple; think of an alternative tense.
- I'll give you a hint, Takehisa.
- It's not meant to be in the present simple; think of an alternative tense.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
I'll give you a hint, Takehisa. It's not meant to be in the present simple; think of an alternative tense. 
00
Thanks, teechr.
I got the point.
The "set" is in its past form.
"Had started" is past perfect form, so "set off" is past form.
Thanks.
I got the point.
The "set" is in its past form.
"Had started" is past perfect form, so "set off" is past form.
Thanks.
00
That's correct, and more specifically, the earlier action "had started" is in the past perfect tense, and the later action "set off" is in the past simple tense.
00
Related Questions