0
Jackson6612 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
England break Bangladesh resolve.
I know news headlines usually ignore the rules of grammar for the sake of compactness and spiciness. But is it okay to ignore the sense of the tense altogether? In the below headlines, I think, 'break' and 'defeat' stand for no tense at all. Or, perhaps it's just the rustiness of my English which is making the understanding elude me. I said 'understanding elude me' (I hope it's correct), I have used 'elude' in indefinite sense because tense is already known from the context.
It wouldn't have make the headlines less compact or spicy if they had used 'breaks' and 'defeats'. What do you say on this?
Headlines:
England break Bangladesh resolve.
England defeat Australia.
It wouldn't have make the headlines less compact or spicy if they had used 'breaks' and 'defeats'. What do you say on this?
Headlines:
England break Bangladesh resolve.
England defeat Australia.
Top answer
Headlines are often written in the present tense to give them more impact.
- Headlines are often written in the present tense to give them more impact.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
11 Answers
0
Headlines are often written in the present tense to give them more impact.
00
England break Bangladesh resolve.
England defeat Australia.
The "error" is not in tense but in number.
I believe what happens here is the sports writers think of "England" as the collective team, hence plural.
Sometimes they say silly things like "the En
00
AvangiIn BrE this is common and is not seen as an error.
The "error" is not in tense but in number.
I believe what happens here is the sports writers think of "England" as the collective team, hence plural.
AvangiN
Sometimes they say silly things like "the Englands beat the Australias."
00
Hi, Wordy,
I agree. It's not an error. I put it in quotes because the OP felt it was an error, and Dave was approaching it as a tense problem. I should have been more clear. (just lazy)
Ditto the Englands and the Australias. It's an American thing. I just used bad examples. I've never heard those specifically either.
I agree. It's not an error. I put it in quotes because the OP felt it was an error, and Dave was approaching it as a tense problem. I should have been more clear. (just lazy)
Ditto the Englands and the Australias. It's an American thing. I just used bad examples. I've never heard those specifically either.
00
Jackson6612 I think, 'break' and 'defeat' stand for no tense at all. Or, perhaps it's just the rustiness of my English which is making the understanding elude me. I said 'understanding elude me' (I hope it's correct), I have used 'elude' in indefinite sense because tense is already known from the context.
It wouldn't have make the headlines less compact or spicy
00
AvangiSorry Avangi, I mis
I agree. It's not an error. I put it in quotes because the OP felt it was an error, and Dave was approaching it as a tense problem. I should have been more clear. (just lazy)
Ditto the Englands and the Australias. It's an American thing. I just used bad examples. I've never heard those specifically either.
00
AvangiThe "error" is not in tense but in number.Yes, you are correct. In BrE 'England breaks Bangladesh resolve' is a correct version because here England is a singular noun standing for English cricket team. Perhaps 'break' version would also do, I don't know.
00
0
Jackson6612 Perhaps 'break' version would also do, I don't know.Check out MrWordy's post. He explains that the plural is often used for the team.
00
Jackson6612
Yes, you are correct. In BrE 'England breaks Bangladesh resolve' is a correct version because here England is a singular noun standing for English cricket team. Perhaps 'break' version would also do, I don't know.My understanding is that "England break ..." (i.e. treating the "England" team as plural) is more typically BrE.
0
Related Questions