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An attempt Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Not stopping until reaching
Dear Sirs,
Here is a task from a test:
“Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses:
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.”
How would you answer it?
Actually I found this question in another forum, and it caused quite a long discussion there. That’s why I am asking you. I am sure the author of the question in the other forum wouldn’t mind my posting it here.
Thank you very much for your time.
Here is a task from a test:
“Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses:
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.”
How would you answer it?
Actually I found this question in another forum, and it caused quite a long discussion there. That’s why I am asking you. I am sure the author of the question in the other forum wouldn’t mind my posting it here.
Thank you very much for your time.
Top answer
“Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses: While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. ” JTT: If I understand the directions and that might not be the case, then it would look like this; While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. ”
- “Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses: While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired.
- ” JTT: If I understand the directions and that might not be the case, then it would look like this; While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired.
- ”
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39 Answers
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“Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses:
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.”
JTT: If I understand the directions and that might not be the case, then it would look like this;
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (didn't stop) until I (reached) the top.”
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.”
JTT: If I understand the directions and that might not be the case, then it would look like this;
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (didn't stop) until I (reached) the top.”
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Thank you very much Sir.
So your choice was “While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I didn't stop until I reached the top.” Are there any other possibilities?
I know that you Americans tend to avoid the Perfect Tense in some sentences where the British might quite well use it. Could the Past Perfect Tense possibly be used here, at least in BrE?
Thank you in advance
So your choice was “While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I didn't stop until I reached the top.” Are there any other possibilities?
I know that you Americans tend to avoid the Perfect Tense in some sentences where the British might quite well use it. Could the Past Perfect Tense possibly be used here, at least in BrE?
Thank you in advance
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I was just going to ask what was wrong with the directions when I had a second look at your answer and understood what you meant. Now I see, really they are ambiguous – they might be also understood as a request to put the answers in parentheses (as you did). However, I think that wasn’t meant by the test developers.
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While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.”
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JTT: I only left the answers in brackets to show where the changes occurred. I didn't expect that was what the questioners wanted. There may be other possibilities but no sensible ones leap ou
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JTT: I only left the answers in brackets to show where the changes occurred. I didn't expect that was what the questioners wanted. There may be other possibilities but no sensible ones leap ou
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Thank you Just The Truth.
The suggested answers were “did not stop / had reached” and “had not stopped / reached” and the discussion was about whether a verb in the Past Perfect could possibly refer to a time LATER than the action of the main verb used in the Simple Past, and which of the two events (referred to in the two parts of the sentence) actually came first.
The suggested answers were “did not stop / had reached” and “had not stopped / reached” and the discussion was about whether a verb in the Past Perfect could possibly refer to a time LATER than the action of the main verb used in the Simple Past, and which of the two events (referred to in the two parts of the sentence) actually came first.
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When I reach the top, I'll stop.
When I have reached the top, I'll stop.
When I reached the top, I stopped.
When I had reached the top, I stopped.
I kept going until I reached the top.
I kept going until I had reached the top.
Whenever you have this "until" structure, the verb aspect can be simple or perfect, rather indiscriminately. The perfect is of
When I have reached the top, I'll stop.
When I reached the top, I stopped.
When I had reached the top, I stopped.
I kept going until I reached the top.
I kept going until I had reached the top.
Whenever you have this "until" structure, the verb aspect can be simple or perfect, rather indiscriminately. The perfect is of
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Whenever you have this "until" structure, the verb aspect can be simple or perfect, rather indiscriminately. The perfect is often then, besides an alternate way of expressing it, a more finicky way of insisting that the event in the "until" clause has / had certainly come to pass before further action was taken. The simple tense in that position may suggest a more immediate, closer temporal conne
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Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses:
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.
How would you answer it?
Without reading the other responses, here's how I'd answer the task:
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I [decided/made up my mind that
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Write the correct form of the verbs in PARENTHESIS:
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.
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JT: I think Casi, that you've put in personal emotive feelings, eg.
While I was walking up the mountain, I got tired. But I (to stop / not) until I (to reach) the top.
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JT: I think Casi, that you've put in personal emotive feelings, eg.
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The suggested answers were “did not stop / had reached” and “had not stopped / reached” and the discussion was about whether a verb in the Past Perfect could possibly refer to a time LATER than the action of the main verb used in the Simple Past, and which of the two events (referred to in the two parts of the sentence) actually came first.
The 'not stopping' ca
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