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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Simple past vs. past perfect + "intention"
This is definitely bothering me more than it should, but I somehow find it hard to decide.
I was wondering whether I should say "It didn't even seem to be his intention", or "It didnt even seem to have been his intention". Past perfect seems to refer to a process, but I'm quite happy with referring only to a point in time (albeit there is a process involved). I also didn't use past perfect in other contexts in the same text (with less ambivalence), so I was prefering simple past because of coherence (which can also make a jarring impression when broken, although "have been" would generally be the safer form). There is also the question whether "intention" doesn't intrinsically demand for perfect except in the most unspecific of cases (or maybe as in exact points in time but with view to the future, which is part of intention, of course).
I hope you can see what I mean. It boils to whether the form can be used at all.
I was wondering whether I should say "It didn't even seem to be his intention", or "It didnt even seem to have been his intention". Past perfect seems to refer to a process, but I'm quite happy with referring only to a point in time (albeit there is a process involved). I also didn't use past perfect in other contexts in the same text (with less ambivalence), so I was prefering simple past because of coherence (which can also make a jarring impression when broken, although "have been" would generally be the safer form). There is also the question whether "intention" doesn't intrinsically demand for perfect except in the most unspecific of cases (or maybe as in exact points in time but with view to the future, which is part of intention, of course).
I hope you can see what I mean. It boils to whether the form can be used at all.
Top answer
1. It didn't even seem to be his intention 2. It didn't even seem to have been his intention 1 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (at the time of the event) to be his intention 2 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (after the event, but in the past) to have been his intention eg 'intention' is at 12:00, 'it seemed' is at 12:30, it is now the next day.
- 1.
- It didn't even seem to be his intention 2.
- It didn't even seem to have been his intention 1 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (at the time of the event) to be his intention 2 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (after the event, but in the past) to have been his intention eg 'intention' is at 12:00, 'it seemed' is at 12:30, it is now the next day.
- However there's a certain flexibility, as 2 could be used for 1 with more emphasis on distance now from the event.
- d
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3 Answers
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1. It didn't even seem to be his intention
2. It didn't even seem to have been his intention
1 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (at the time of the event) to be his intention
2 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (after the event, but in the past) to have been his intention
eg 'intention' is at 12:00, 'it seemed' is at 12:30, it is now the next day.
2. It didn't even seem to have been his intention
1 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (at the time of the event) to be his intention
2 = (Thinking later on:) It didn't even seem (after the event, but in the past) to have been his intention
eg 'intention' is at 12:00, 'it seemed' is at 12:30, it is now the next day.
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Thanks, that makes sense. However, it still doesn't seem to matter much, due to the flexibility of 2, as you say, though 1 is probably more precise and correct in this instance... The difficulty for me lies in the open scope of "intention" and the different time periods of the past (when it might have ended, and from when one is looking back). I settled for 2, but I now regret it. It frankly sound
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I think, as always, context clarifies any ambiguities - sentences are always embedded in a wider narrative that should make any relevant matters clear.
It's always hard entirely to answer questions based on disembodied sentences, so if there's anything you need clearing up providing the surrounding narrative can be especially effective.
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It's always hard entirely to answer questions based on disembodied sentences, so if there's anything you need clearing up providing the surrounding narrative can be especially effective.
d
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