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Ditch Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Tense Consistency & Subjunctives
Greetings!
She talks to her cat as if she thought it understood her.
vs.
She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understands her.
Which of these is preferable and why? Since, in this case, the simple present form of talk identifies a habitual action, I instinctively want to make the rest of the verbs in the sentence consistent with this. Should I be switching to the subjunctive regardless? How about in these other cases:
She talks to her cat as if she thought it understood what she says.
vs.
She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understands what she says.
(The first one sounds awkward to me.)
She talks to her cat as if it understood her.
vs.
She talks to her cat as if it understands her.
BTW, how exactly are you supposed to finish interrogatives that lead into example sentences (e.g. "How about in these other cases:")? Should I be using a question mark or a colon? If I use a colon, do I have to finish the last example sentence with a question mark or anything like that?
Always grateful for your help.
She talks to her cat as if she thought it understood her.
vs.
She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understands her.
Which of these is preferable and why? Since, in this case, the simple present form of talk identifies a habitual action, I instinctively want to make the rest of the verbs in the sentence consistent with this. Should I be switching to the subjunctive regardless? How about in these other cases:
She talks to her cat as if she thought it understood what she says.
vs.
She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understands what she says.
(The first one sounds awkward to me.)
She talks to her cat as if it understood her.
vs.
She talks to her cat as if it understands her.
BTW, how exactly are you supposed to finish interrogatives that lead into example sentences (e.g. "How about in these other cases:")? Should I be using a question mark or a colon? If I use a colon, do I have to finish the last example sentence with a question mark or anything like that?
Always grateful for your help.
Top answer
Ditch: It is important to grasp that grammar is there not to constrain a person, but to express his perception of a situation. Language is ego-centric. So, what is my perspective when I say: She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understood her/what she says.
- Ditch: It is important to grasp that grammar is there not to constrain a person, but to express his perception of a situation.
- Language is ego-centric.
- So, what is my perspective when I say: She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understood her/what she says.
- Grammatically, this is quite correct.
- BUT -this form indicates that I think it is really nonsense: the cat does not understand her.
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7 Answers
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Ditch: It is important to grasp that grammar is there not to constrain a person, but to express his perception of a situation. Language is ego-centric. So, what is my perspective when I say:
She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understood her/what she says.
Grammatically, this is quite correct. BUT -this form indicates that I think it is really nonsense: the cat does not
She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understood her/what she says.
Grammatically, this is quite correct. BUT -this form indicates that I think it is really nonsense: the cat does not
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Thank you, Terryexpress.
She talks to her cat as if it understands her.
What if it isn't an observation pertaining to a single instance? What if the speaker is telling someone about a habit the woman has? In that case, should I definitely be switching to simple past? Or can this phrasing work just as well to convey that it's something she does habitually and that I, the speaker,
She talks to her cat as if it understands her.
What if it isn't an observation pertaining to a single instance? What if the speaker is telling someone about a habit the woman has? In that case, should I definitely be switching to simple past? Or can this phrasing work just as well to convey that it's something she does habitually and that I, the speaker,
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Also, thank you for your explanation about the colon or question mark issue. Very clear!
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Terryxpress
She talks to her cat as if she thinks it understood her/what she says.
Grammatically, this is quite correct. BUT -this form indicates that I think it is really nonsense: the cat does not understand her.
Are you sure this is a correct sentence?
Regarding the construction 'as if,' the past subjuncti
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It is.
Firstly, the use of Present Tense here indicates that it IS a habit (Universal truth) - the talked to it 'yesterday', 'today', and will do 'tomorrow'. A specific instance would be indicated as, "She is talking to her cat."
Similarly, '...she thinks = she believes : she did yesterday, does still , and will continue to believe.
Now, note the sentence says "...she thinks
Firstly, the use of Present Tense here indicates that it IS a habit (Universal truth) - the talked to it 'yesterday', 'today', and will do 'tomorrow'. A specific instance would be indicated as, "She is talking to her cat."
Similarly, '...she thinks = she believes : she did yesterday, does still , and will continue to believe.
Now, note the sentence says "...she thinks
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I understand, thanks.
I'm just use to using the subjunctive for particular structures, rather than looking for the actual verb that expresses something hypothetical or unreal.
What about these tenses and moods which others tend to struggle dealing with? Correct?
She walked home as if she thought the party was over.
She is walking home, as if she thou
I'm just use to using the subjunctive for particular structures, rather than looking for the actual verb that expresses something hypothetical or unreal.
What about these tenses and moods which others tend to struggle dealing with? Correct?
She walked home as if she thought the party was over.
She is walking home, as if she thou
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TerryxpressAh! That's what's bugging me about it. Thank you. : )
Now, note the sentence says "...she thinks'...so to jump to 'undertood' is to jump to what I think and NOT what she thinks!
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