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Tenacious Learner Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Present or Past
Hi teachers,
This a part of a text in a story:
Baxter: Coke escape more than 24 hours ago. I want to catch him before another 24 hours are up.
Narrator: Halls looked at Baxter for a few seconds before he answered.
Halls: A lot of us wonder why Scotland Yard is so interested in this fellow Coke. He isn't the first
one to escape. Another man did it about six months ago, but Scotland Yard didn't send
anyone to help us then.
Baxter: Coke isn't just an ordinary prisoner. He's very special.......
Can I ask these question in both ways, present and past, according to the text above?
a) When does Baxter want to catch Coke?
b) When did Baxter wan to catch Coke?
a) Why is Scotland Yard so interested in Coke?
b) Why was Scotland Yard so interested in Coke?
If yes, is it because of the asker's point of view?
Thanks in advance
This a part of a text in a story:
Baxter: Coke escape more than 24 hours ago. I want to catch him before another 24 hours are up.
Narrator: Halls looked at Baxter for a few seconds before he answered.
Halls: A lot of us wonder why Scotland Yard is so interested in this fellow Coke. He isn't the first
one to escape. Another man did it about six months ago, but Scotland Yard didn't send
anyone to help us then.
Baxter: Coke isn't just an ordinary prisoner. He's very special.......
Can I ask these question in both ways, present and past, according to the text above?
a) When does Baxter want to catch Coke?
b) When did Baxter wan to catch Coke?
a) Why is Scotland Yard so interested in Coke?
b) Why was Scotland Yard so interested in Coke?
If yes, is it because of the asker's point of view?
Thanks in advance
Top answer
-- Possible, but more usual is A in this sort of situation. -- Of the story, yes. Is the story of a finished series of events, or are we analysing the present text?
- -- Possible, but more usual is A in this sort of situation.
- -- Of the story, yes.
- Is the story of a finished series of events, or are we analysing the present text?
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4 Answers
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Can I ask these question in both ways, present and past, according to the text above?-- Possible, but more usual is A in this sort of situation.
If yes, is it because of the asker's point of view?-- Of the story, yes. Is the story of a finished series of events, or are we analysing the present text?
If yes, is it because of the asker's point of view?-- Of the story, yes. Is the story of a finished series of events, or are we analysing the present text?
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Mister MicawberIs the story of a finished series of eventsYes! The series of events are completely finished because the story was written in the 70'.
The title is 'The man who escaped'
I am just asking questions out of it to the students.
So the questions I ask them can be both, in simple or past, according to the tense in which it is written
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Yes - just be consistent. I have already explained which one is more usually used in such tests: it is as if the student is in the midst of reading the story right now.
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Thank you so much for the whole explanation Mister Micawber.
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