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is/was investigation

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar, Longman Grammar
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WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Thu 12 Jun, 2014 09:34 am
Are they both correct?

A murder has just happened.
-The time of death was/is two hours ago/2:30pm (now being 4:30 pm)
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 May, 2015 02:44 am
If John is 22, no longer a child, are they both correct?

-He is an only child. (=His parents have only one son or daughter)
-He was an only child.

Do they mean the same, depending on the emphasis?
InfraBlue
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 May, 2015 03:43 pm
@WBYeats,
The first sentence can refer to John being his parents' only offspring. The second sentence can refer to John's childhood as well as him having been his parents' only offspring.
0 Replies
 
InfraBlue
 
  1  
Reply Thu 21 May, 2015 03:52 pm
@WBYeats,
WBYeats wrote:

Are they both correct?

A murder has just happened.
-The time of death was/is two hours ago/2:30pm (now being 4:30 pm)

They can be.

"The time of death was two hours ago/2:30pm" refers to the time when the death occured.

"The time of death is two hours ag0/2:30pm can refer to the reported time when the death occured. E.g, "the time of death is two hours ago/2:30pm on the police report."
0 Replies
 
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Fri 22 May, 2015 03:30 am
Thank you.
Ragman
 
  1  
Reply Sun 24 May, 2015 05:29 am
@WBYeats,
As an aside, be aware that in English, even though someone is over 21 yrs of age, they can still be called a child (when referring to offspring from a certain parent). It doesn't always mean they're juvenile.
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Mon 25 May, 2015 05:26 am
@Ragman,
Thank you. Is your first language US English?
Ragman
 
  1  
Reply Mon 25 May, 2015 06:50 am
@WBYeats,
Yes, it is. Why do you ask?
0 Replies
 
FBM
 
  1  
Reply Mon 25 May, 2015 07:12 am
@izzythepush,
izzythepush wrote:

WBYeats wrote:

Thank you~ But JTT does not state the other is correct either...


Lordy is right. JTT only cares about JTT. He deliberately overcomplicates things to confuse the student and make himself appear smarter. The advice he gives changes, depending on what guidance has been given previously, normally just to provoke an argument.

Do yourself a favour and put him on ignore, otherwise you'll just end up being more confused than you were to begin with.

With JTT, it's all about his ego.


I regret that I have but one thumb's up to give for this post.
0 Replies
 
FBM
 
  1  
Reply Mon 25 May, 2015 07:20 am
@WBYeats,
WBYeats wrote:

Thank you~

Are they both correct?

-Today is/was the day he was killed ten years ago.
-The day he was killed ten years ago is/was today.


Today can't be in the past. You need to separate the clauses. Each has its own subject that controls the verb in that clause.

Today is the day (main clause) + (that) he was killed ten years ago (subordinate relative clause).
0 Replies
 
Ragman
 
  1  
Reply Mon 25 May, 2015 07:25 am
@WBYeats,
The way I'd phrase that is to simplify: "This is the anniversary of his death."
0 Replies
 
WBYeats
 
  1  
Reply Tue 26 May, 2015 08:52 am
Thank you.
0 Replies
 
 

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