Choice of tenses.

Question

Dear teachers,

Could you please correct for me these tenses?

We first became aware that something wrong was happening (happen) when one of the ship's officers came up(come up) to the chief of engineer, who was sitting (sit) at our table, and spoke (speak) to him in a low voice. The chief engineer at once stood up (stand up) and with a brief excuse left (leave) the dining room. At first we thought (think) that there was (be) an accident or that a fire broke out (break out) on a board ship, but soon the word went (go) round that a man was seen (see) floating in the sea. Then, we noticed (notice) that the ship slowed (slow down) and began (begin) to turn round, with rather a violent motion.

Remark: I have learnt that we should double the last letter of the verb that end with " Consonant+ Vowel+Consonant".
for example " Sit/ Sitting", but why shouldn't we double the last letter of the verb "happen"

Thanks a lot

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

angel girl1 At first we thought (think) that there was (be) an accident or that a fire broke out (break out) on board ship, but soon the word went (go) round that a man was seen (see) floating in the sea. Then, we noticed (notice) that the ship slowed (slow down) and began (begin) to turn round, with rather a violent motion.

You might like to think again about the ones I have underlined. Think Past Perfect and/or Past Progressive (Continuous)

angel girl1I have learnt that we should double the last letter of the verb that end with " Consonant+ Vowel+Consonant".for example " Sit/ Sitting", but why shouldn't we double the last letter of the verb "happen"

Verbs ending in a single consonant letter (except –w, –x , -c and -l ) following a single vowel letter in a stressed syllable double that final consonant before adding the –ing: robbing, knitting, referring but revealing, rowing, boxing.

Verbs ending in –c add -k rather than doubling the –c: picnicking, panicking.

In BrE, word-final –l is always doubled after a short vowel sound, even in unstressed syllables: repelling, levelling, travelling, cancelling

In verbs with a final unstressed syllable ending in –s, some writers double the final –s of the first form before adding the –e; this is optional: biasing or biassing, focusing or focussing

There is no doubling when the final syllable is unstressed: happening, bothering, visiting

However, a small number of verbs double the final consonant in British English even if the final syllable is unstressed. This may be because the final syllable exists as a single-syllable (hence stressed) verb, even if the polysyllabic verb is not actually a compound: programming, handicapping, hiccupping, kidnapping,

Angel girl1 · Answer

Thanks a lot.

fivejedjonYou might like to think again about the ones I have underlined. Think Past Perfect and/or Past Progressive (Continuous)

At first we thought (think) that there had been(be) an accident or that a fire had broken out (break out) on board ship, but soon the word went (go) round that a man had been seen (see) floating in the sea. Then, we noticed (notice) that the ship had slowed (slow down) and had began (begin) to turn round, with rather a violent motion.

I think we can't use Past Progressive. are they correct?

Angel girl1 · Answer

Thanks a lot.

fivejedjonYou might like to think again about the ones I have underlined. Think Past Perfect and/or Past Progressive (Continuous)

At first we thought (think) that there had been(be) an accident or that a fire had broken out (break out) on board ship, but soon the word went (go) round that a man had been seen (see) floating in the sea. Then, we noticed (notice) that the shiphad slowed (slow down) and had began (begin) to turn round, with rather a violent motion.

I think we can't use Past Progressive. are they correct?

Fivejedjon · Answer

angel girl1At first we thought (think) that there had been(be) an accident or that a fire had broken out (break out) on board ship, but soon the word went (go) round that a man had been seen (see) floating in the sea. Then, we noticed (notice) that the shiphad slowed (slow down) and had began (begin) to turn round, with rather a violent motion.

Fine, though note that it's 'begun' not 'began' in the last sentence.

'...we noticed that the ship was slowing down' is also possible.

Angel girl1 · Answer

Thanks a lot. I appreciate your help.

Choice of tenses.

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