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Daisy Black Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

What tense is more suitable?

The mansion stood (or was standing) on a hill, its windows opened (or opening / were opening) on to the forest.

Is there any diffrence between them? What are the most common variants?
  

Top answer

The mansion stood on a hill, its windows opening onto the forest. "opened" and "were opening" are not correct (comma splice). "was standing" is not impossible, but "stood" would be the norm

— GPY

  • The mansion stood on a hill, its windows opening onto the forest.
  • "opened" and "were opening" are not correct (comma splice).
  • "was standing" is not impossible, but "stood" would be the norm
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3 Answers
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The mansion stood on a hill, its windows opening onto the forest.

"opened" and "were opening" are not correct (comma splice).

"was standing" is not impossible, but "stood" would be the norm
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"opened" and "were opening" are not correct ...

But why?
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Daisy Black"opened" and "were opening" are not correct ...But why?
Because, as I say, you would then have a comma splice (two independent clauses joined only by a comma).

(Theoretically, "opened" could be considered adjectival/passive, so allowable, but this doesn't seem to be the intention here, so I am discounting that possibility.)
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