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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Essays

1. In this story she uses it to describe her first born, her baby without a name, no home, and address when she is born. (For essays I write in the present tense right? Should I use 'is' or 'was' here?)

2. In this story she uses it to describe her first born, her baby without a name, no home, and address when she was born. (Is this bad with 'was'? Inconsistency with tense? Plus, it is a story, so 'is' is okay right?)

I know this is wrong:
3. I am born in Canada. (You cannot use 'am' here because you are only born once. So #1 is okay right? )

What do these mean?
4. You are only born once. (Present status?)
5. You were only born once. (Past?)

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Sentence 2 is better, Jack. 3 is wrong 4 & 5 - I wonder if you are thinking of the idiom "you only live once"? I can't think of a single occasion on which I would need to say "You are only born once"

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2 Answers
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Sentence 2 is better, Jack.

3 is wrong

4 & 5 - I wonder if you are thinking of the idiom "you only live once"? I can't think of a single occasion on which I would need to say "You are only born once"
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1. In this story she uses it to describe her first born, her baby without a name, no home, and address when she is born. (Even though I'm talking about a story, I shouldn't us 'is' ?)

Thanks.
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