Sentence formation of a past incident
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I need help with finding out which of the below sentences is correct:
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she was crying.
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she cried.
Are both the sentences correct? If so, when to use which sentence?
past-tense progressive-aspect sequence-of-tenses
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ yesterday
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
add a comment |
I need help with finding out which of the below sentences is correct:
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she was crying.
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she cried.
Are both the sentences correct? If so, when to use which sentence?
past-tense progressive-aspect sequence-of-tenses
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ yesterday
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
add a comment |
I need help with finding out which of the below sentences is correct:
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she was crying.
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she cried.
Are both the sentences correct? If so, when to use which sentence?
past-tense progressive-aspect sequence-of-tenses
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
I need help with finding out which of the below sentences is correct:
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she was crying.
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she cried.
Are both the sentences correct? If so, when to use which sentence?
past-tense progressive-aspect sequence-of-tenses
past-tense progressive-aspect sequence-of-tenses
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
edited Jun 12 '18 at 2:23
sumelic
50.5k8121227
50.5k8121227
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
asked May 7 '18 at 3:43
karthik tskarthik ts
54
54
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ yesterday
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ yesterday
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
The first lacks harmony between the verbs. It would work better if it began "Since she was wearing glasses..."
However, both can work as saying "she wore glasses" (in general) and that you couldn't tell if she was crying (at that particular moment) also gives the implication that that particular moment was no exception and she was wearing them then too.
So 1 can work, but it would be better by making it explicit.
We really could do with more context as this is what really establishes aspect.
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
2
Definitely 'was crying' rather than 'cried'.
– Kate Bunting
May 7 '18 at 7:33
If you believe so, then provide a reasoned answer. An unsubstantiated disagreement in no way helps the OP and other readers understand. Same goes for the silent downvoters.
– Paul Childs
yesterday
You said in your own answer 'you couldn't tell if she was crying' - the reason being that it's idiomatic English!
– Kate Bunting
21 hours ago
I'd argue against "definitely". Context is a major player.
– Paul Childs
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
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active
oldest
votes
The first lacks harmony between the verbs. It would work better if it began "Since she was wearing glasses..."
However, both can work as saying "she wore glasses" (in general) and that you couldn't tell if she was crying (at that particular moment) also gives the implication that that particular moment was no exception and she was wearing them then too.
So 1 can work, but it would be better by making it explicit.
We really could do with more context as this is what really establishes aspect.
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
2
Definitely 'was crying' rather than 'cried'.
– Kate Bunting
May 7 '18 at 7:33
If you believe so, then provide a reasoned answer. An unsubstantiated disagreement in no way helps the OP and other readers understand. Same goes for the silent downvoters.
– Paul Childs
yesterday
You said in your own answer 'you couldn't tell if she was crying' - the reason being that it's idiomatic English!
– Kate Bunting
21 hours ago
I'd argue against "definitely". Context is a major player.
– Paul Childs
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The first lacks harmony between the verbs. It would work better if it began "Since she was wearing glasses..."
However, both can work as saying "she wore glasses" (in general) and that you couldn't tell if she was crying (at that particular moment) also gives the implication that that particular moment was no exception and she was wearing them then too.
So 1 can work, but it would be better by making it explicit.
We really could do with more context as this is what really establishes aspect.
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
2
Definitely 'was crying' rather than 'cried'.
– Kate Bunting
May 7 '18 at 7:33
If you believe so, then provide a reasoned answer. An unsubstantiated disagreement in no way helps the OP and other readers understand. Same goes for the silent downvoters.
– Paul Childs
yesterday
You said in your own answer 'you couldn't tell if she was crying' - the reason being that it's idiomatic English!
– Kate Bunting
21 hours ago
I'd argue against "definitely". Context is a major player.
– Paul Childs
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The first lacks harmony between the verbs. It would work better if it began "Since she was wearing glasses..."
However, both can work as saying "she wore glasses" (in general) and that you couldn't tell if she was crying (at that particular moment) also gives the implication that that particular moment was no exception and she was wearing them then too.
So 1 can work, but it would be better by making it explicit.
We really could do with more context as this is what really establishes aspect.
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
The first lacks harmony between the verbs. It would work better if it began "Since she was wearing glasses..."
However, both can work as saying "she wore glasses" (in general) and that you couldn't tell if she was crying (at that particular moment) also gives the implication that that particular moment was no exception and she was wearing them then too.
So 1 can work, but it would be better by making it explicit.
We really could do with more context as this is what really establishes aspect.
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
answered May 7 '18 at 4:07
Paul ChildsPaul Childs
44416
44416
2
Definitely 'was crying' rather than 'cried'.
– Kate Bunting
May 7 '18 at 7:33
If you believe so, then provide a reasoned answer. An unsubstantiated disagreement in no way helps the OP and other readers understand. Same goes for the silent downvoters.
– Paul Childs
yesterday
You said in your own answer 'you couldn't tell if she was crying' - the reason being that it's idiomatic English!
– Kate Bunting
21 hours ago
I'd argue against "definitely". Context is a major player.
– Paul Childs
1 hour ago
add a comment |
2
Definitely 'was crying' rather than 'cried'.
– Kate Bunting
May 7 '18 at 7:33
If you believe so, then provide a reasoned answer. An unsubstantiated disagreement in no way helps the OP and other readers understand. Same goes for the silent downvoters.
– Paul Childs
yesterday
You said in your own answer 'you couldn't tell if she was crying' - the reason being that it's idiomatic English!
– Kate Bunting
21 hours ago
I'd argue against "definitely". Context is a major player.
– Paul Childs
1 hour ago
2
2
Definitely 'was crying' rather than 'cried'.
– Kate Bunting
May 7 '18 at 7:33
Definitely 'was crying' rather than 'cried'.
– Kate Bunting
May 7 '18 at 7:33
If you believe so, then provide a reasoned answer. An unsubstantiated disagreement in no way helps the OP and other readers understand. Same goes for the silent downvoters.
– Paul Childs
yesterday
If you believe so, then provide a reasoned answer. An unsubstantiated disagreement in no way helps the OP and other readers understand. Same goes for the silent downvoters.
– Paul Childs
yesterday
You said in your own answer 'you couldn't tell if she was crying' - the reason being that it's idiomatic English!
– Kate Bunting
21 hours ago
You said in your own answer 'you couldn't tell if she was crying' - the reason being that it's idiomatic English!
– Kate Bunting
21 hours ago
I'd argue against "definitely". Context is a major player.
– Paul Childs
1 hour ago
I'd argue against "definitely". Context is a major player.
– Paul Childs
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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