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SuperESL Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Goes / went
Hello,
"Stalin's belief that capitalism would dig its own grave in the long run goes a long way towards explaining his unshakable optimism regarding the remote future."
I am having a hard time deciding whether I should use 'goes' or 'went' here and coming up with a convincing justification for using one rather than the other. Can use some help here.
Thank you.
"Stalin's belief that capitalism would dig its own grave in the long run goes a long way towards explaining his unshakable optimism regarding the remote future."
I am having a hard time deciding whether I should use 'goes' or 'went' here and coming up with a convincing justification for using one rather than the other. Can use some help here.
Thank you.
Top answer
If you are explaining now his optimism, use 'goes'. If you are talking about someone in the past who explained his optimism, use 'went'.
- If you are explaining now his optimism, use 'goes'.
- If you are talking about someone in the past who explained his optimism, use 'went'.
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3 Answers
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If you are explaining now his optimism, use 'goes'. If you are talking about someone in the past who explained his optimism, use 'went'.
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My two cents:
If something is important to explaining it, then it "goes a long way towards explaining it." It is never said that it "went a long way towards explaining" unless you are talking about a previous interpretation of events that is not necessarily the same thing as the current interpretation.
Let me give you an example of when the past tense is appropriate:
If something is important to explaining it, then it "goes a long way towards explaining it." It is never said that it "went a long way towards explaining" unless you are talking about a previous interpretation of events that is not necessarily the same thing as the current interpretation.
Let me give you an example of when the past tense is appropriate:
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