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Swiss Jake Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

two wicked past tense questions

0 Hi,02br
02br
001) Last night Mr. S 01b00recovered/was recovering02b00 in hospital from shock and a broken arm.02br
02br
002)How long ago 01b00have you started/did you start02b00 learning Urdu? 02br
02br
00Please tell me which ones are the correct choices and why. Or even something else? Or both?02br
00I believe:02br
02br
001) recovered - the action is done, he is back on his feet02br
002) did you start - you can start only at one specific point in time02br
02br
00Thank you, Jake0-
  

Top answer

0 01blockquote 01cite 10Swiss Jake12cite 10Hi,12br 12br 101) Last night Mr. 12br 12br 102)How long ago 11b 10have you started/did you start12b 10 learning Urdu? 12br 12br 10Please tell me which ones are the correct choices and why.

— Nef

  • 0 01blockquote 01cite 10Swiss Jake12cite 10Hi,12br 12br 101) Last night Mr.
  • 12br 12br 102)How long ago 11b 10have you started/did you start12b 10 learning Urdu?
  • 12br 12br 10Please tell me which ones are the correct choices and why.
  • Or even something else?
  • 12font 12br 12blockquote 10Hi, Jake02br 02br 00Here's how I see it.
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5 Answers
0
0 01blockquote
01cite10Swiss Jake12cite10Hi,12br
12br
101) Last night Mr. S 11b10recovered/was recovering12b10 in hospital from shock and a broken arm.12br
12br
102)How long ago 11b10have you started/did you start12b10 learning Urdu? 12br
12br
10Pl
0
0
0 01b00Recovered/recovering:02b00 Putting aside the length of time it takes to recover from a broken arm, I would always be tempted to use the continuous here since recovery is a continuous process rather than an event.0-
0
0
0 01blockquote
01cite10Bokeh12cite11b10Recovered/recovering:12b10 Putting aside the length of time it takes to recover from a broken arm, I would always be tempted to use the continuous here since recovery is a continuous process rather than an event.12br
12blockquote
10Only in the health-related meanin
0
0
0 1) Last night Mr. S 01b00recovered/was recovering02b00 in hospital from shock and a broken arm.02br
00 Either is possible. English allows an "on-going" interpretation even for the simple past. 01i00recovered02i00 can mean 01i00did some recovering02i00, for example. (If it had been 01i00Last night S
0
0
0 thanks for all those awesome answers!02br
00cheers0-
0

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