tense checking

Question

Hi,Please check for accuracy of tenses.Today is XXXX 16th. Tomorrow is XXXX 17th. If I sleep one more day, I will be meeting my nephew who will be visiting us from the Phillipines. He has been studying there for two years now and he is coming for a month vacation. I am starting to work on my two-month project on today afternoon; and when my nephew gets here, I will probably have finished half the project. I will probably have to spend some time with my nephew during his two-month vacation and that will likely delay my completion of the project -- how long a delay, I couldn't guess now -- and I should think about which is more important: spending time with my nephew or completing my project on time. Hhew, this is going to be difficult, but come to think of it, it's easy -- if I don't complete my project on time, I will not pass the course and that could have a drastic effect on my plan to go to the prestigious XXX University; on the other hand, I will probably have many chances see my nephew and go out with him over the years ahead. Yes, I made the choice and that is to finish the project on time.

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

Hello Anonymous,
Usually, a paragraph has related sentences. These are very random.

Today is *** 16th. Tomorrow is *** 17th.Okay, but "Today it is is August 25th, and tomorrow it will be the 26th" is a more common way to say this.
If I sleep one more day, I will be meeting my nephew who will be visiting us from the Phillipines.Very odd. Tomorrow, I will get to see my nephew, who will be visiting...
He has been studying there for two years now and he is coming for a month vacation.Okay in tense. A month's vacation or a month-long vacation.

I am starting to work on my two-month project on ~~today~~ this afternoon;, and when my nephew gets here, I will probably have finished half the project.Tenses are okay. You can finish half of a two-month project in one day?
I will probably have to spend some time with my nephew during his two-month vacation and that will likely delay my completion of the project -- how long a delay, I couldn't guess now -- and I should think about which is more important: spending time with my nephew or completing my project on time.This is fine - and very complicated. Good job on this one.
Hhew ??, this is going to be a difficult choice. But come to think of it, it's easy -- you can use a colon here too if I don't complete my project on time, I will not pass the course and that could have a drastic effect on my plan to go to the prestigious *** University; on the other hand, I will probably have many chances see my nephew and go out with him over the years ahead.Okay.
Yes, I have made the choice and that is to finish the project on time.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you so much.

How would you divide this type of writing (diary or reflection piece?) into paragraphs, especially when the content of a possible paragraph is two or thre sentences long?

You asked:

I am starting to work on my two-month project on ~~today~~ this afternoon;, and when my nephew gets here, I will probably have finished half the project.Tenses are okay. You can finish half of a two-month project in one day?

I think the probable date I noted for his visit is one month from the day of writing and I think I also have noted that the probable period of completion will last two months. What made you think the writing gives out an idea that I will try to finish the project in one day?

You changed the tense of the last sentence to present perfect; (semicolon OK?) but I don't think a past is wrong but a present tense is better because the choice made is current and currently related.

Last sentence that you made a change:

Yes, I have made the choice and that is to finish the project on time.

BarbaraPA · Answer

I should have edited the post - they are clearly related, but the first three seemed unrelated to each other.
I broke them into each line so I could comment one by one.
I think the probable date I noted for his visit is one month from the day of writing
You wrote, "If I sleep one more day, I will be meeting my nephew who will be visiting us from the Phillipines." That sounds like he is coming tomorrow to me. How could I guess that it's actually another month away? You wrote that he's coming home "for a month vacation." It sounds like he's coming tomorrow, and staying for one month.

and I think I also have noted that the probable period of completion will last two months.What made you think the writing gives out an idea that I will try to finish the project in one day?
You said that he comes tomorrow, and you are starting today - so naturally that sounds like you'll do one month's worth of work in one day.

You changed the tense of the last sentence to present perfect; (semicolon OK?) but I don't think a past is wrong but a present tense is better because the choice made is current and currently related.

Yes, you made the decision quite recently. The present tense is appropriate. If you used the past, the entire thing should be written in a past tense, not the present.
Where did you want to use the semi-colon?

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you. It will take some time to reflect upon your response. As to your question of where I wanted to put a semicolon, it was in the underlined part. I was pretty sure a semicolon is appropriate but wanted to confirm.

You changed the tense of the last sentence to present perfect; (semicolon OK?) but I don't think a past is wrong but a present tense is better because the choice made is current and currently related.

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