Am/was
1. "If someone interrupts me and I continue what (I was/ am) talking about, do I say nothing? "
Can I use both am and was for this sentence?
Is the structure okay as well?
2. "No one has tried what he is doing before."
Is "is doing" correct even if there is before?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28397552
3. "I go to the supermarket. We argue. She interrupts me and I continue what I (am/was) saying before."
Can it be am for consistency all through out despite before?
Thanks.
Top answer
1. " because the action of talking is in the past, albeit the recent past.
- 1.
- " because the action of talking is in the past, albeit the recent past.
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1. I'm not sure I understand your question, but it seems to be when you continue from an interruption, do you say "What was I talking about?" or "What am I talking about?" If that's the question, then the answer is "What was I talking about?" because the action of talking is in the past, albeit the recent past.
0Sorry, I hit "post" too soon.
2. If he is still doing it, then "is doing" is correct. The "before" refers to "No one has tried", and the sentence would flow better if "before" were moved closer to it: "No one before has tried what he is doing".
3. I see what you're getting at, but no. The speaker is narrating a past event using the present tense. At the point when he continue
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