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New2grammar Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
tense switching
If a man comes home early and finds his wife in bed with another man, raged by what he saw, he got into a fight with his wife’s lover, subsequently killing him with a knife during the struggle.
Is this tense switching common? I tend to do this in casual conversation too.
Thanks.
Is this tense switching common? I tend to do this in casual conversation too.
Thanks.
Top answer
Tense switching is not at all unusual, but this case is very strange to my ear! It's the if structure that makes it strange. If he comes home, he got into a fight???
- Tense switching is not at all unusual, but this case is very strange to my ear!
- It's the if structure that makes it strange.
- If he comes home, he got into a fight???
- No.
- That's not a credible use of an if clause.
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3 Answers
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Tense switching is not at all unusual, but this case is very strange to my ear!
It's the if structure that makes it strange. If he comes home, he got into a fight??? No. That's not a credible use of an if clause.
CJ
It's the if structure that makes it strange. If he comes home, he got into a fight??? No. That's not a credible use of an if clause.
CJ
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