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Wingfat Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Tense Living/Deceased
My friend's father past away recently. Her mother is still living. I want to ask her if her father and mother share/shared the same taste in music. Should I phrase it as:
1) "Do your father and mother have the same taste in music?"
2) "Did your father and mother have the same taste in music?"
I think the past tense ("did") sounds more natural, but since her mother is still living I'm not sure that it's right. Can you "share" something with someone that's no longer here?
1) "Do your father and mother have the same taste in music?"
2) "Did your father and mother have the same taste in music?"
I think the past tense ("did") sounds more natural, but since her mother is still living I'm not sure that it's right. Can you "share" something with someone that's no longer here?
Top answer
My sense of the word says clearly that you cannot "share" something with a deceased person. Past tense is correct. If you wish to imply that in some respect the person is still alive, then it might be allowable, but you'd need to make it clear.
- My sense of the word says clearly that you cannot "share" something with a deceased person.
- Past tense is correct.
- If you wish to imply that in some respect the person is still alive, then it might be allowable, but you'd need to make it clear.
- Even if you say "we share the same DNA," it would not work.
- The DNA still exists but the "person" does not.
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4 Answers
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My sense of the word says clearly that you cannot "share" something with a deceased person. Past tense is correct.
If you wish to imply that in some respect the person is still alive, then it might be allowable, but you'd need to make it clear.
Even if you say "we share the same DNA," it would not work. The DNA still exists but the "person" does not.
If you say "We s
If you wish to imply that in some respect the person is still alive, then it might be allowable, but you'd need to make it clear.
Even if you say "we share the same DNA," it would not work. The DNA still exists but the "person" does not.
If you say "We s
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Okay, but wouldn't you say, "Birds and dinosaurs share similar DNA." (I don't know if that's true, I'm just using it as an example.) Obviously dinosaurs are extinct and birds are not.
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wingfatOkay, but wouldn't you say, "Birds and dinosaurs share similar DNA."I would say, "yes."
BTW, "past away" should be "passed away." Of that I'm fairly sure.
Best wishes, - A.
Edit. I must be still asleep. These comments apply to "have/had" as well as to "share/shared."
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wingfat1) "Do your father and mother have the same taste in music?"How about this: Does you mother have the same taste in music [that/as] your father had?
2) "Did your father and mother have the same taste in music?"
CB
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