It was swollen and bruised

Question

Can I say,Susan heard his husband's cry and came to investigate. She put a plaster around his thumb because it was swollen and bruised.

Ahelaumakani · Accepted Answer

Susan heard her husband's cry and came to investigate. She put a plaster around his thumb because it was swollen and bruised.

Avangi · Answer

Hi Vincent,

Could you explain "plaster"? In the US, we don't currently use the expression.

We use plaster in forming a "cast" to hold a broken arm or leg in place.

A hundred years ago, a "mustard plaster" was a very popular home remedy used in treating chest colds.

But it was surely not something we'd want to put around a swollen and bruised thumb.

Cbsteh · Answer

plaster = bandage/Band-Aid

Chris

Anonymous · Answer

Hi. Would you say your use of the modal "would" ( I think that is what was contracted) in your sentence below is correct? Is the modal use conditional in your sentence? I must say that I have much respect for your knowledge in English grammar.

Your sentence:

But it was surely not something we'd want to put around a swollen and bruised thumb.

The only thing I can add is that I think what comes after the "something" should be in the past setting.

Avangi · Answer

Anonymous But it was surely not something we'd want to put around a swollen and bruised thumb.

Hi, Anon. I hope your respect isn't misplaced. I'm still flying pretty much by the seat of my pants on modals and conditionals. I have a fair amount of confidence in my knowledge of what's acceptable, and what it means in a given situation. But I'm afraid it still needs to be codified.

I believe the sentence in question is correct, but your point is well taken. The remedy which we all knew at that time (let's say, the 30's) was not (at that time, in the sense it no longer exists) something we would now consider "recreating" for the purpose of treating a swollen and bruised thumb.

I agree, if you wanted to say that back in the 30's we wouldn't have considered using it to treat a thumb, the sentence should read, "surely not something we'd have wanted to put around a swollen and bruised thumb."

The most common constructions don't always give us what we want to say. But I think either version would have made the point.

The terradactyl was surely not something we'd want (now) for a pet. The terradactyl was surely not something we'd have wanted for a pet. (if we had been alive back then)

I don't think we need to say The terradactyl is surely not something we'd want for a pet, just for the sake of tense agreement.

Thanks for the post. - A.

Vincent Teo · Answer

Thanks. So what is the solution?

Am I correct with my sentence?

Susan heard her husband's cry and came to investigate. She put a plaster around his thumb because it was swollen and bruised.

Avangi · Answer

I don't wonder you should ask.

I see you've corrected the gender to "her" husband.

I'm not comfortable with the "plaster." Perhaps it's British. Obsteh says it means "bandage," or "bandaid." I asked you what you had in mind, but you never replied. I'm still waiting.

Ahelaumakani · Answer

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaster[1 ]

Obsteh is right. I'd heard the word but never used it, it think it is a British thing. Also, it's not only a bandage but a bandage with some sort of ointment on it, so it seems to be something you would put on an open wound now that I think about it. Probably wouldn't be appropriate to put on a thumb that is swollen or bruised. For that you'd need an ice pack, or a splint to protect it.

Cbsteh · Answer

It is cbsteh.

Cbsteh/Chris

BarbaraPA · Answer

Grammatically, with the correction of "her" it's fine.
However, an ice pack would be more likely.

It was swollen and bruised

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