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Snarf Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Some Past Tense Confusion

I had taken a vaccine beforehand, just in case any of the poison seeped into my pores.

That person is speaking in the present about the past. Except is it correct to use the past tense of "seep" in that context, even though the taking of the vaccine occurred prior to the contact with the poison, when the person knew the contact was about to happen and was preempting it, hence the term "beforehand"?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

You’re OK. I sense no confusion. I wouldn’t use the comma.

— RandomGuy

  • You’re OK.
  • I sense no confusion.
  • I wouldn’t use the comma.
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5 Answers
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You’re OK. I sense no confusion.

I wouldn’t use the comma.
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Good! Thanks, Gus! Let me ask you this, though: How would that sound to you using the present tense of seep there?

"...in case any of the poison seep into my pores."

Would that just be wrong because all of a sudden I'd be jumping from past tense to present while still speaking of the past?

Thanks.
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Yes, that would be wrong. The use of had and beforehand makes things clear. (You don’t need both, by the way.)
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So something like this would definitely be wrong:

I walked down the corridor as inconspicuously as possible in case any of them see me.

That should definitely be "saw" I take it because you can't mix past and present tense like that, right?
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SnarfI take it because you can't mix past and present tense like that
Not like that, no. It makes no sense.
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