Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
past tenses
Coukl you let me know if my text is correct
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock. I had been* indoors since half past eight that morning, when I* went *out to buy a pint of milk for my breakfast. So I* had decided to go out for a walk. Then the phone rang. It was Carlos. I *had not seen or heard * from him for over two years – since the autumn of ’99, to be exact.
The way we* had met* on that occasion was bizarre. I* had travelled* on a ferry in the Greek islands. As we were approaching Naxos, we noticed a sailboat capsized in the harbour. Sitting on the upturned hull, waving a faded red T-shirt, was a man with a large black beard and shoulder-length curly black hair – yes, as you have guessed, it was Carlos.
We* had spent a night drinking retsina in the bars of Naxos. I *had woken up* to find that I *laid* on a bench at the quayside. Carlos *had vanished. I *had not t seen *him since then.
‘Carlos’, I shouted, ‘I don’t believe it! How are you? Where are you?’
‘I’m in Tahiti,’ he answered, ‘and tomorrow I’m celebrating my fiftieth birthday. Get to the Air France check-in desk at Heathrow as quick as you can and pick up your ticket. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a bottle. See you, compadre!’ Then the line went dead.
I* glanced* out of the window. It was raining* . I *grinned and was going* to look for my passport. It was only then that I* allowed *myself to realise how much I * had missed him during those two years.
thanks a lot
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock. I had been* indoors since half past eight that morning, when I* went *out to buy a pint of milk for my breakfast. So I* had decided to go out for a walk. Then the phone rang. It was Carlos. I *had not seen or heard * from him for over two years – since the autumn of ’99, to be exact.
The way we* had met* on that occasion was bizarre. I* had travelled* on a ferry in the Greek islands. As we were approaching Naxos, we noticed a sailboat capsized in the harbour. Sitting on the upturned hull, waving a faded red T-shirt, was a man with a large black beard and shoulder-length curly black hair – yes, as you have guessed, it was Carlos.
We* had spent a night drinking retsina in the bars of Naxos. I *had woken up* to find that I *laid* on a bench at the quayside. Carlos *had vanished. I *had not t seen *him since then.
‘Carlos’, I shouted, ‘I don’t believe it! How are you? Where are you?’
‘I’m in Tahiti,’ he answered, ‘and tomorrow I’m celebrating my fiftieth birthday. Get to the Air France check-in desk at Heathrow as quick as you can and pick up your ticket. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a bottle. See you, compadre!’ Then the line went dead.
I* glanced* out of the window. It was raining* . I *grinned and was going* to look for my passport. It was only then that I* allowed *myself to realise how much I * had missed him during those two years.
thanks a lot
Top answer
i have changed some of the tenses to what a native speaker might use. It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock. I had been* indoors since half past eight that morning, when I* went out to buy a pint of milk for my breakfast.
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i have changed some of the tenses to what a native speaker might use.
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock. I had been* indoors since half past eight that morning, when I* went out to buy a pint of milk for my breakfast. So Ihad decided (simple past is better) to go out for a walk. Then the phone rang. It was Carlos. I *had not seen or
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock. I had been* indoors since half past eight that morning, when I* went out to buy a pint of milk for my breakfast. So I
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thanks a lot
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock. I had been* indoors since half past eight that morning, when I* went out to buy a pint of milk for my breakfast. So Ihad decided (simple past is better) to go out for a walk
Why is past simple better here, because first he decided to go out for a walk then he bought a pint
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock. I had been* indoors since half past eight that morning, when I* went out to buy a pint of milk for my breakfast. So I
Why is past simple better here, because first he decided to go out for a walk then he bought a pint
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It is a continuation of the past tense in your first sentence.
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock and I decided to go out for a walk.
The progression of events in your narrative is not very clear. You had gone out earlier in the morning for the milk, before your walk in the afternoon around 3.
It was a cold, wet January afternoon, about three o’clock and I decided to go out for a walk.
The progression of events in your narrative is not very clear. You had gone out earlier in the morning for the milk, before your walk in the afternoon around 3.
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AnonymousWhy is past simple better here, because first he decided to go out for a walk then he bought a pint of milk or may be I misunderstood and first he bought a pint of milk then he decided to go out for a walk but to buy the pint he was forced to go outAlphecaStar already commented. Here is my extra two cents on using past perfect. We learned from school
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