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Johnson13 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
present tense used in news
A line said by a native English news reporter: He stressed the need to fight corruption. It's (IT referring to what has been just said) all part of the premier's report....
According to my understanding, when that reporter reports the thing, the premier's report handed in is a past thing; why IS ('s) used but not WAS?
Reasons I make out:
1. The thing has happened recently, so the present tense is used, though it is past.
2. News English tends to use the simple present, just as they will say PREMIER ANNOUNCES XYZ YESTERDAY
3. The content of the report is a timeless thing, always being inside that report as part of it, so other tenses than the present are not possible.
Which one is correct? Or all wrong?
According to my understanding, when that reporter reports the thing, the premier's report handed in is a past thing; why IS ('s) used but not WAS?
Reasons I make out:
1. The thing has happened recently, so the present tense is used, though it is past.
2. News English tends to use the simple present, just as they will say PREMIER ANNOUNCES XYZ YESTERDAY
3. The content of the report is a timeless thing, always being inside that report as part of it, so other tenses than the present are not possible.
Which one is correct? Or all wrong?
Top answer
Number three is closest. He could have said that it was all part of the report if, for instance, he was talking mainly about the report and the timing of its release.
- Number three is closest.
- He could have said that it was all part of the report if, for instance, he was talking mainly about the report and the timing of its release.
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1 Answers
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Number three is closest. He could have said that it was all part of the report if, for instance, he was talking mainly about the report and the timing of its release.
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