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Trunks Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Problems with "is/are/was"!!!
Consider this sentences:
1. Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters is a novel written by the notoriously reclusive J.D. Salinger.
Why is the usage of "is" correct in here instead of "was" or "were"? I mean isn't this something that happened in the past?
2. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to rule this week on whether to protect beluga sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act.
Why is the verb “is” correct here instead of “are”? Moreover, can I write “by means of the Endangered Species Act” instead of “under the Endangered Species Act”?
3. Difference between:
They were not eligible to participate in the program.
They are not eligible to participate in the program.
Btw, can you tell me why the dictionary uses a bracket in a sentence (in the examples that is)? Does it mean the words inside the bracket are inferred and need not be written in a sentence?
E.g. Both (of) her sisters are lawyers.
E.g. We’ve been here all (the) week.
1. Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters is a novel written by the notoriously reclusive J.D. Salinger.
Why is the usage of "is" correct in here instead of "was" or "were"? I mean isn't this something that happened in the past?
2. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to rule this week on whether to protect beluga sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act.
Why is the verb “is” correct here instead of “are”? Moreover, can I write “by means of the Endangered Species Act” instead of “under the Endangered Species Act”?
3. Difference between:
They were not eligible to participate in the program.
They are not eligible to participate in the program.
Btw, can you tell me why the dictionary uses a bracket in a sentence (in the examples that is)? Does it mean the words inside the bracket are inferred and need not be written in a sentence?
E.g. Both (of) her sisters are lawyers.
E.g. We’ve been here all (the) week.
Top answer
1. This sentence uses 'is' because the information is a known fact, so it uses a simple present tense . The sentence doesn't talk about what happened in the past.
- 1.
- This sentence uses 'is' because the information is a known fact, so it uses a simple present tense .
- The sentence doesn't talk about what happened in the past.
- 2.
- The federal Fish and Wildlife Service refers to one organization, that's why the verb is 'Was' not 'Were' 3.
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1 Answers
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1. This sentence uses 'is' because the information is a known fact, so it uses a simple present tense. The sentence doesn't talk about what happened in the past.
2. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service refers to one organization, that's why the verb is 'Was' not 'Were'
3. The difference is only on the time.. If we use 'were', we talk about past condition.
2. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service refers to one organization, that's why the verb is 'Was' not 'Were'
3. The difference is only on the time.. If we use 'were', we talk about past condition.
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