Is this a correct sentence?

Question

Hi,I read this sentence in a TIME magazine article - "I was a senior counternarcotics official recently arrived in a country that supplied 90 percent of the world’s heroin."I am not sure how this sentence is correct.Can we use "I was arrived" ? I feel "I was....who had recently arrived" will be a grammatically correct sentence.Please tell me what is right.Thanks.

Abil · Accepted Answer

The sentence is fine with me. On the other hand, your both suggestions are grammatically wrong.

New2grammar · Answer

Abil, Could you support your answer? In other words, why is the original correct?

MaverickK · Answer

Hi Abil,

Here is what is mentioned in the dictionary about the usage of Abil -

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ar·rive Audio Help (?-riv') Pronunciation Key
intr.v. ar·rived, ar·riv·ing, ar·rives

1. To reach a destination.
2. To come at length; take place: The day of reckoning has arrived.
3. To achieve success or recognition: He had finally arrived as a designer.

According to me,the sentence should be "I , a senior counternarcotics official ,had recently arrived ,,,,, ".
I have checked out many usage and dictionary entries and then saying there is something incorrect about the usage of "was arrived" in the first post.Please back your thoughts about usage with some proof.

MaverickK · Answer

Ohh..there was a typo error in the first line of my last post.I have written -
"Here is what is mentioned in the dictionary about the usage of Abil "
It should be "Here is what is mentioned in the dictionary about the usage of arrive"
:-)

BarbaraPA · Answer

It's okay - think of this: I was a young executive, recently promoted to a position that supervised 52 employees.
I was a young teacher charged with a classroom that had 33 unruly students.
It's the same.

However, despite Abil's statement, your version of "who had recently arrived" is just fine and perhaps easier to read. (But "I was arrived" is incorrect.)

MaverickK · Answer

Hi Grammar Geek,

Thanks for your reply.But the examples you have given are with "promoted" and "charged".
Even if we use "I was promoted" and "I was charged" , they sound fine. But somehow "I was arrived" doesnt sound fine to me.Please tell me how the sentence in the first post is correct.

Mister Micawber · Answer

.
The sentence is OK. The 'who had' can be omitted here.

I was a senior counter-narcotics official [who had] recently arrived in a country

New2grammar · Answer

I'm with you on this, Maverick <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' alt='Emotion: sad'/>

Abil · Answer

Abil, Could you support your answer? In other words, why is the original correct?

New2G,

The sentence is composed of two parts (clauses), the first one is "I was a senior counternarcotics official". The rest "recently arrived in a country that supplied 90 percent of the world’s heroin." is the second.

Here, the speaker is talking about two actions; one is about a past action (the fist clause) and the other about present action (the second clause).

As the second part constitutes a present action the phrase "who had recently arrived" as suggested by Maverick does not fit with this context.

Caution: I am neither a grammarian nor a native speaker. I have mainly based my comments on common sense. Therefore, don't put much emphasis on my comments.

Maverick,

Why do you think the original "I was a senior counternarcotics official recently arrived in a country that supplied 90 percent of the world’s heroin." is wrong?

Abil

BarbaraPA · Answer

MaverickKHi Grammar Geek,

But somehow "I was arrived" doesnt sound fine to me.

Grammar Geek (But "I was arrived" is incorrect.)

Do you really think that we disagree?

(Did Mr. M's response answer your question about the original?)

Here is what I have to say: When two native speakers, both of whom have at least the proficient speakers check (and in Mr. M's case, is a teacher) say "That's okay," it's probably okay. If you don't feel comfortable using it, then don't. Use other constructions, such as the "who had recently arrived" as you suggest.

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