Sank or sunk

Question

The ship is going to be sunk.(Trying to tell that someone is going to sink the ship in the future)The ship is going to be sank.Is this grammaticallly wrong?Also, let's say I am writing an essay in past tense.I went on a roller coaster. I had the time of my life. I (have/had) never been so happy before.Which one is correct? By I have never been so happy before, does it mean the writer has never been so happy before alll the way until now? After he went on the ride, don't you think that he was 'so' happy? So is it 'had been'?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

michaeltingThe ship is going to be sunk.
(Trying to tell that someone is going to sink the ship in the future)
The ship is going to be sank.
Is this grammaticallly wrong?

The parts of the strong verb sink: Sink, sank, sunk.

The Titanic sank in 1912. (Simple past)

The Titanic was sunk by an iceberg. (Passive)

It is going to be sunk.

michaeltingAlso, let's say I am writing an essay in past tense.
I went on a roller coaster. I had the time of my life. I (have/had) never been so happy before.
Which one is correct? By I have never been so happy before, does it mean the writer has never been so happy before alll the way until now? After he went on the ride, don't you think that he was 'so' happy? So is it 'had been'?

You can use either form - have or had. The perspective is just a different time frame.

I have never been so happy.

This refers to the point in time that is the speaker's present. For example, if he took the ride ten years ago, he never had another experience that was so happy.

I had never been so happy.

This refers to the point in time immediately after the roller coaster ride. It describes how he felt at that moment in time. It does not say anything about experiences after that up to the current time.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

The ship is going to be sunk.

(Trying to tell that someone is going to sink the ship in the future)

The ship is going to be sank.

Is this grammaticallly wrong? Yes. You need the past participle of the verb 'sink'', which is 'sunk'.

Also, let's say I am writing an essay in past tense.

I went on a roller coaster. I had the time of my life. I (have/had) never been so happy before.

Which one is correct? By I have never been so happy before, does it mean the writer has never been so happy before alll the way until now? After he went on the ride, don't you think that he was 'so' happy? So is it 'had been'?

Say 'I had never been so happy before'. It means 'before that time, my happiness was always less.

We don't know what happened to the speaker's happiness level after that time. Maybe it went up more. Maybe it went down again.

Clive

Michaelting · Answer

So does this meanI have never been so happy before is actually ''I have never been so happy before (now)''?

If so, the time period between the ride and the present time, he never had another experience that was so happy?

Because literally, I think I have never been so happy before means I am happy right now. Is this statement true to some extent?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I went on a roller coaster. I had the time of my life. I have never been so happy before.

If you said this to me, it would sound odd. The first two sentences are clearly talking about the past.

The last part means you are happier now than you have ever been, at any time in the past.

So, my first question to you would be 'What are you so happy?'

My second question would be 'Why are you teling me about this roller coaster ride that happened in the past?'

I suppose your sentence above might be OK if the ride happened in the past but only eg two minutes ago. But eg two years ago, no.

Clive

Michaelting · Answer

To reply your question,

1st) I am so happpy because I took the roller coaster ride.

2nd) I am telling you about it because I had the time of my life.

I guess it would sound quite odd. I guess I have never been is used in dialogues and such, because I have never used it in an actual essay. I always used my trusty (I had the best time ever in my life.)

Speaking about I had the best time ever in my life I want to know about '' I have had the best time in life''.

Does ''I have had..'' mean that I had it and it is still significant(I can't find a reason where it's still significant...), well I had just mean I had it? In your opinion, which one is more common?

-Will reply tomorrow. It's past 12 midnight here.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

o reply your question,

1st) I am so happpy because I took the roller coaster ride.

2nd) I am telling you about it because I had the time of my life.

It's the 'before' that causes confusion. The listener dioesn't know if you mean 'before now' or 'before the time in the past that you just mentioned.'

I guess it would sound quite odd. I guess I have never been is used in dialogues and such, because I have never used it in an actual essay. I always used my trusty (I had the best time ever in my life.)

Both tenses are possible in essays. It all depends on the context. The context may be like the one we are discussing, or it may be a different one.

Speaking about I had the best time ever in my life I want to know about '' I have had the best time in life''.

Does ''I have had..'' mean that I had it and it is still significant Yes

(I can't find a reason where it's still significant...) Well, that's sms to be the context you are trying to explain to me about the roller-coaster ride.

, well I had just mean I had it? Yes.

In your opinion, which one is more common? Both are common. It depends on the context.

Clive

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