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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Similes in past tense
Hi,
How to write similes in past tense?
As a tiger would go after a deer, they went after the thief. (or)
As a tiger would have gone after a deer, they went after the thief.
Which is right - would or would have?
Regards,
How to write similes in past tense?
As a tiger would go after a deer, they went after the thief. (or)
As a tiger would have gone after a deer, they went after the thief.
Which is right - would or would have?
Regards,
Top answer
They are both fine; the simile is merely a comparison; it doesn't make any difference whether you're comparing with the past or the present, except if an historical event is involved: As Napoleon would have gone after Moscow, they went after the thief.
- They are both fine; the simile is merely a comparison; it doesn't make any difference whether you're comparing with the past or the present, except if an historical event is involved: As Napoleon would have gone after Moscow, they went after the thief.
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3 Answers
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They are both fine; the simile is merely a comparison; it doesn't make any difference whether you're comparing with the past or the present, except if an historical event is involved:
As Napoleon would have gone after Moscow, they went after the thief.
As Napoleon would have gone after Moscow, they went after the thief.
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Thanks, Sir. What I mean is, sicne 'went' is past tense, shouldn't the whole sentence be that way? Go followed by would, and went followed by would have. As a tiger would go after a deer, they go after the thief. Because of 'go' it is present tense.
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No, the two events (one hypothetical) needn't occur in the same time period: He went after the deer yesterday as I will go after you tomorrow.
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