0
Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Sentence Grammar
Is the following sentence written correctly?
If you were not from the small town of Sandtown, located in Delaware, most likely, you wouldn’t have known it existed, as the large trees and heavy brush had overrun it long ago.
If you were not from the small town of Sandtown, located in Delaware, most likely, you wouldn’t have known it existed, as the large trees and heavy brush had overrun it long ago.
Top answer
I'm sure people will disagree on this. I suppose it's correct, but It would be a lot more comfortable if the "knowing" and the "being" were in the same tenses. " (both correct) To be something and to know something are sort of continuous conditions.
- I'm sure people will disagree on this.
- I suppose it's correct, but It would be a lot more comfortable if the "knowing" and the "being" were in the same tenses.
- " (both correct) To be something and to know something are sort of continuous conditions.
- If I'm from Sandtown, I'm always from Sandtown, and if I know about Sandtown, I'll probably always know about Sandtown.
- The speaker is obviously speaking about a past situation ( had overrun it long ago ), so I'd think the past perfect would be in order: If you had not been from Sandtown, you wouldn't have known it existed.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
I'm sure people will disagree on this.
I suppose it's correct, but It would be a lot more comfortable if the "knowing" and the "being" were in the same tenses.
Then, we have to wonder if "were" is present subjunctive or simple past: "If it were a bear it would bite you." "If it were a bear, it would have bitten you." (both correct)
To be something and to know something are
I suppose it's correct, but It would be a lot more comfortable if the "knowing" and the "being" were in the same tenses.
Then, we have to wonder if "were" is present subjunctive or simple past: "If it were a bear it would bite you." "If it were a bear, it would have bitten you." (both correct)
To be something and to know something are
00
It seems to me that "it existed" should be "it had existed".
I'm also not keen on the ambiguously placed and awkwardly punctuated "most likely". I think I'd write "... you most likely wouldn’t ...".
I'm also not keen on the ambiguously placed and awkwardly punctuated "most likely". I think I'd write "... you most likely wouldn’t ...".
00
I'm still struggling with the tense problem, If you were X, you wouldn't have Y. The more I read it the more I'm inclined to say that with proper context it would be perfectly natural.
If context establishes both the present tense and the missing past event, It should fly.
"If you were white, you wouldn't have been afraid."
If context establishes both the present tense and the missing past event, It should fly.
"If you were white, you wouldn't have been afraid."
00
Related Questions