What is wrong with each of these sentences? Why?

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If you are considering making any large purchases for your Department, now is the time to do it.
If you are considered making any large purchases for your Department, now is the time to do it.

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Type: Question • Score: 8 • Views: 890 • Replies: 19

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@nhelen,

The first sentence is correct. Future tense.

Considered is past tense, in my considered opinion.

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@nhelen,

Lordy is right of course Helen. Technically the second isn't defective but the implication is a committee attempting to decide who should make large purchases, but time is running out so if you are chosen you should act immediately

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

Technically the second isn't defective

In what way is "If you are considered making purchases" not defective? I'd love to know.

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@contrex,

Yes. "If you have considered...." would work okay.

I wish Dale wouldn't pontificate about matters of which he has insufficient grasp. It only muddies the waters. I don't know whether it confuses the questioners, but it irks.

No disrespect intended.

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@contrex,

Quote:

In what way is "If you are considered making purchases" not defective? I'd love to know.

It's just another way of saying, however clumsily, "If you are under consideration for inclusion in a group permitted to make purchase" or "If we consider you in the group presently making purchases"

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@dalehileman,

I'd stop digging.

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@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

Quote:
In what way is "If you are considered making purchases" not defective? I'd love to know.

It's just another way of saying, however clumsily, "If you are under consideration for inclusion in a group permitted to make purchase" or "If we consider you in the group presently making purchases"

No, that would have been " If you have been considered eligible....", or similar. It still remains past tense, however.

1 Reply

@nhelen,

Lordy's remark above well taken. But In passing I sometimes find it interesting or noteworthy that words inadvertently placed out of the usual order might convey another meaning, however unintended, as with "Because in his absence the wrecking crew considered it uninhabitable, at his return home after work he found his home to have been demolished." However if my observation has thrown a monkeywrench into the works as Mac suggests then Helen my most sincere apologies

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

"Because in his absence the wrecking crew considered it uninhabitable, at his return home after work he found his home to have been demolished."

I cannot see any other possible meaning than that on his return to his home he found that the wrecking crew had demolished it because they considered it uninhabited.

1 Reply

@contrex,

Con, point well taken. In my haste a meaning came through more clearly than I had intended. Well, how about

If you are considered abandonment, now is the time to return home

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@dalehileman,

…but Con I'm continually impressed your literacy, exactitude, and good manners

0 Replies

@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

If you are considered abandonment, now is the time to return home

This is a meaningless sentence.

1 Reply

@nhelen,

(1) is correct. We all agree on that.

"If you are considered making any large purchases for your Department, now is the time to do it."
Forum members are getting the gist of this sentence, but syntactically, it is unsalvageable! It requires two sentences!!

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@contrex,

dalehileman wrote:
If you are considered abandonment, now is the time to return home

Quote:

This is a meaningless sentence.

I hear ya Con and yes it's awkward. But it's a way of saying "If we had decided to consider you as a case of abandonment…."

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

dalehileman wrote:
If you are considered abandonment, now is the time to return home

Quote:
This is a meaningless sentence.
I hear ya Con and yes it's awkward. But it's a way of saying "If we had decided to consider you as a case of abandonment…."

Let's dial back the start of this thread. The OP was simply confused about a part of speech, that is, he wasn't sure if he could write "if you are considered making any large purchases", where "considered" is wrong. What are you seem to be doing (why, I am not sure) is dreaming up some kind of abbreviated jargon that somebody in a municipal office might use, like a doctor saying "Old Mr Jones is a do-not-resuscitate" or a welfare clerk assessing someone's savings which they "gave" to their son a week before claiming welfare saying "He's a wilful divestment". These might be examples of ways in which fluent native speakers sometimes talk to each other to save time, but they are neither helpful nor relevant to an enquiry from a foreign learner about school-lesson type "correct" written English. I think you are trying to dig your way out of a hole you got in, as has been suggested.

1 Reply

@Lordyaswas,

Quote:

No, that would have been " If you have been considered eligible....", or similar. It still remains past tense, however.

I believe it's described as present tense perfect aspect, Lordy.

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@contrex,

Quote:

I think you are trying to dig your way out of a hole you got in, as has been suggested.

My most abject apologies to Helen, Con, anyone else troubled by my skewed approach

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

My most abject apologies to Helen, Con, anyone else troubled by my skewed approach

No need to be abject, Dale! Some of us here, at least, are your friends. Long may your skewed approach continue.

1 Reply

@contrex,

What with your numerous cockamamie offerings on language, C, you ought not to be giving Dale the gears.

Though I must admit you have been better of late.

0 Replies

What is wrong with each of these sentences? Why?

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