0
Volcano1985 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

The now-extinct sabre-tooth cat ----

The now-extinct sabre-tooth cat ---- one of the
most dangerous creatures ever ---- in the
world.


A) is / having lived
B) was / to have lived
C) had been / to live
D) would be / to be living
E) has been / living

I think A
  

Top answer

I think it's a grey area. " Probably "B" is better. It depends on whether you're talking about the concept or the reality.

  • I think it's a grey area.
  • " Probably "B" is better.
  • It depends on whether you're talking about the concept or the reality.
  • " But is it really?
  • I don't think you can say that "B" is incorrect.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

5 Answers
0
I think it's a grey area. Many people would say "A." Probably "B" is better.
It depends on whether you're talking about the concept or the reality.
You could point to a recreation in a museum and say, "That is a sabre-tooth cat."

But is it really?
0
Hi,

B is best.

'Was' is better than 'is' because we are explicitly told that the cat is now extinct, which focuses our thoughts on the past.

I've always heard 'sabre-tooth tiger'. 'A sabre-tooth cat'is, of course, not wrong, but it maks me think of a house pet gone bad.
0
The now-extinct sabre-tooth cat was one of the most dangerous creatures which had ever lived in the world.

ever to have lived = which had ever lived
?
0
Hi,

ever to have lived focuses my thoughts on the period up until now.

which had ever lived focuses my thoughts on the period up until the animal became extinct.

Clive
0
CliveI've always heard 'sabre-tooth tiger'.
Just for clarification it drives paleontologists nuts when people use the term "saber-tooth tiger" they insist on "cat" since the animals weren't in fact tigers at all, not even close.

From the UCMP site:

Related Questions