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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Tenses & Time Clauses

An adverbial clause beginning with when creates a temporal relationship with the main clause where each action in both clauses happens roughly at the same time.

However, why are the tenses different in the following?

Just when cinema companies were starting to enjoy the edge that the lastest influx of 3D movies had been giving them over home entertainment, along comes 3D technology for your home.

Is this a rare exception created by the use of 'just' before 'when'?

Thanks
  

Top answer

It's a common narrative style trick, isn't it? The historical present? The author can make the tense shift whenever he feels it will be most effective.

— Avangi

  • It's a common narrative style trick, isn't it?
  • The historical present?
  • The author can make the tense shift whenever he feels it will be most effective.
  • There's nothing unique or special about "just when" as the pivotal phrase.
  • I don't think there's any grammatical key to it.
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2 Answers
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It's a common narrative style trick, isn't it? The historical present? The author can make the tense shift whenever he feels it will be most effective. There's nothing unique or special about "just when" as the pivotal phrase. I don't think there's any grammatical key to it. It's something that works because people do it, and they do it because it works.
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English 1b3Is this a rare exception created by the use of 'just' before 'when'?
I don't see it as a rare exception of any kind. It's a fairly standard formula. The past continuous is used to set up a background situation against which a salient event occurs.

To make the event even more vivid in this case, two techniques were used: "just" to show
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