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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Tense problem
Hi
In one of my tests I found this:
"Use correct past form of the verbs in bold"
'Somebody come up behind me and grab my mobile phone, which lie on the table next to me.'
I would use came, grabbed and had been lying.
According to the test key the lie should be changed to was lying.
But... It sounds to me as if the mobile was stolen and still was lying on the table... I tend to use past perfect continous to emphasise that it was stolen after it had been there. Or am I just strange?
Thanks
In one of my tests I found this:
"Use correct past form of the verbs in bold"
'Somebody come up behind me and grab my mobile phone, which lie on the table next to me.'
I would use came, grabbed and had been lying.
According to the test key the lie should be changed to was lying.
But... It sounds to me as if the mobile was stolen and still was lying on the table... I tend to use past perfect continous to emphasise that it was stolen after it had been there. Or am I just strange?
Thanks
Top answer
Hello Anon, I think we have to say that the complete act of grabbing included a period where the phone was still lying on the table. "Had been lying" on the other hand might suggest that at the time of grabbing, the mobile phone was no longer lying on the table (though it had been lying there previously). All the best, MrP
- Hello Anon, I think we have to say that the complete act of grabbing included a period where the phone was still lying on the table.
- "Had been lying" on the other hand might suggest that at the time of grabbing, the mobile phone was no longer lying on the table (though it had been lying there previously).
- All the best, MrP
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3 Answers
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Hello Anon,
I think we have to say that the complete act of grabbing included a period where the phone was still lying on the table.
"Had been lying" on the other hand might suggest that at the time of grabbing, the mobile phone was no longer lying on the table (though it had been lying there previously).
All the best,
MrP
I think we have to say that the complete act of grabbing included a period where the phone was still lying on the table.
"Had been lying" on the other hand might suggest that at the time of grabbing, the mobile phone was no longer lying on the table (though it had been lying there previously).
All the best,
MrP
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Hi,
In one of my tests I found this:
"Use correct past form of the verbs in bold"
'Somebody come up behind me and grab my mobile phone, which lie on the table next to me.'
I would use came, grabbed and had been lying.
According to the test key the lie should be changed to was lying.
In one of my tests I found this:
"Use correct past form of the verbs in bold"
'Somebody come up behind me and grab my mobile phone, which lie on the table next to me.'
I would use came, grabbed and had been lying.
According to the test key the lie should be changed to was lying.
00
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