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SuperESL Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Explains / explained

"Professor Johnson suggests in his recent book that it was the harsh conditions of the Russian winter that explained the defeat of Hitler's army in 1942."

Should I use 'explained' or 'explains' here? My feeling is that if I read 'explain' as meaning 'be responsible for' then I should use 'explained.' On the other hand, I was wondering if I could understand 'explain' in the sense that we as present day observers are trying to 'explain' Hitler's defeat; hence the present tense.

Thank you.
  

Top answer

Use present tense. The explanation happens now. "Caused" would be in the past tense.

— Enoon

  • Use present tense.
  • The explanation happens now.
  • "Caused" would be in the past tense.
  • There are other problems, though.
  • It says it "was" the conditions that "explains".
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2 Answers
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Use present tense. The explanation happens now. "Caused" would be in the past tense. There are other problems, though. It says it "was" the conditions that "explains". The Russian winter is now and has always been harsh, so if we make it "it is the harsh conditions of the Russian winter that explains the defeat ...", it is better. Also, "conditions" is plural, and "explains" is singular. It
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