Need help explaining the grammar rule behind these incorrect sentences.

Question

Can you help me explain what makes these sentences wrong/right? Thanks.

1) Wrong: Holmes estimated the world to be 20-400 million years old, and it is still a colossal underestimation.
Right: Holmes estimated the world to be 20-400 million years old, still a colossal underestimation.

2)

Thanks again.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Who told you that #1 is wrong? It isn't.
It's just two simple sentences, joined by a conjunction.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

I think #1 is wrong because "and it is still" would suggest that the information is currently in use in the present, while the second would be pointing out that the underestimation is being compared to the actual information in context.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Anonymous,
What do you say to this sentence:
Dinosaurs were believed to be the biggest animal on land before their extinction and they still are today.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I think #1 is wrong because "and it is still" would suggest that the information is currently in use in the present,
Yes. But there is nothing wrong with that.
eg His theory was wrong yesterday. His theory is still wrong today. His theory will still be wrong tomorrow.

while the second would be pointing out that the underestimation is being compared to the actual information in context.
No. The only difference I see with #2 is that it omits the words 'and it is'. This kind of grammatical omission is permissible in a compound sentence.

In short, both #1 and #2 are correct.

Clive

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