wear a raincoat

Question

Can I say,(a) She is wearing the raincoat. (b) Beckham is wearing the raincoat when it is raining.     She is wearing the raincoat just now because it was raining.(c) She is wearing the raincoat when / during / while raining. (d) She is wearing the raincoat when it rains.     She is wearing the raincoat in the rain.     She is wearing the raincoat because it was rainy day.

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

Hi Vincent

As a rule, if you refer to something that happens repeatedly, you don't use a continuous tense:

He wears a raincoat when it rains. (Not: He is wearing a raincoat when it is raining.)

If something is happening right now, continuous tenses are normally used:

He is wearing a raincoat (now) because it is raining.

It doesn't make much sense to use a past tense in the subordinate clause if the main clause is in the present tense:

Not: She is wearing a raincoat because it was a rainy day. This sentence is grammatically correct but why would she still be wearing a raincoat after the rainy day is over?

So, to go back to your sentences:
a) Normally a raincoat.
b) Beckham wears a raincoat when it rains.
... because it is raining. (If 'Beckham' is the English footballer, I'll let you in on a secret: he's a man!)
c) She wears a raincoat when it rains.

Cheers
CB

Vincent Teo · Answer

Vincent TeoCan I say,

(b) She is wearing the raincoat just now because it was raining.

(c) She is wearing the raincoat when / during / while raining.

(d) She is wearing the raincoat in the rain.

She was wearing the raincoat because it was rainy day.

How about sentences above?

I got another question.

(Not: He is wearing a raincoat when it is raining.) Is that I use "when" in the sentence, so the sentence is wrong?

Cool Breeze · Answer

Hi VT

If you want a continuous tense in both clauses, you should give the reason for that to make the sentence correct:

He is wearing a raincoat because it is raining.

Of your sentences b, c and d, b and c are wrong. Sentence d (the first one) is correct in the unlikely situation that the raincoat has just been mentioned and "she" is walking or standing in the rain right now. The definite article before raincoat seems odd unless you refer to a specific raincoat.

Sentence d (the second one) would be correct in similar circumstances if there were an article before rainy: a rainy day.

Cheers
CB

Vincent Teo · Answer

(b) She is wearing the raincoat just now because it was raining.

(c) She is wearing the raincoat when / during / while raining.

Shall I know the reasons? Why are they wrong?

Cool Breeze · Answer

Vincent Teo(b) She is wearing the raincoat just now because it was raining.

(c) She is wearing the raincoat when / during / while raining.

Shall I know the reasons? Why are they wrong?

(b) isn't strictly speaking wrong but it could be used in extremely strange circumstances only. She is wearing the raincoat would refer to a raincoat that has been mentioned. She is wearing a raincoat would be normal English. It was raining indicates that it is no longer raining. Because tells us the reason why she is wearing the raincoat. The sentence is grammatical but doesn't make much sense. No one in their right mind wears a raincoat because the rain is over. People wear raincoats because it rains. Raincoats were invented for that purpose, not to be worn on sunny beaches.

As for sentence (c), all the alternatives are always ungrammatical. You could say: She wears a cap when/while driving a car, but as she cannot rain, in other words rain is an intransitive verb that can't take an object, sentence (c) is incorrect. She would be the subject of the clause equivalent when/while raining and that is impossible. During is not used in such clause equivalents at all.

Cheers
CB

Vincent Teo · Answer

Thanks for your clear explanations. I know much better. If I change the sentence (c) like this way:

(b) She was wearing the raincoat just now because it was raining.

Is that correct?

Cool Breeze · Answer

Vincent Teo(b) She was wearing the raincoat just now because it was raining.

Is that correct?

No. Just now refers to the present moment, was refers to the past. You could say: She was wearing a raincoat then because it was raining.

Cheers
CB

Vincent Teo · Answer

My teachwr told me that "just now" refer to the past moment.

(a) He ate his dinner just now.

Nona the brit · Answer

Yes, 'just now' means the very recent past - something has literally just happened.

Vincent Teo · Answer

so, my sentence is correct?

(b) She was wearing the raincoat just now because it was raining.

wear a raincoat

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