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Thu 1 Sep, 2016 02:26 pm
Hi everyone,
I'm writing an essay and encounter a situation I've wondered for a while. When I write in past tense through the essay (because I'm describing my past experience), can I use present tense to describe an object?
For example, here's the passage I wrote:
Soon I found myself losing interest in reading until I found a series of adventure and detective books. The series was popular among kids, especially with the special secret revealing card each book offered.
In the last sentence, in stead of using offered, can I use offers?
Why would you abruptly change tense? Found found was offered - why tinker with 'offered', since you are providing an especial reason why the series was popular? The popularity and the reason for it necessarily occupy the same time frame. I can't see why you are asking this question.
@DonotLikePizza,
Can you? Sure. You
can do it, but, it would be best not to, seeing as how it would be incorrect.
@contrex,
I'm sorry if you think this question is silly. The subordinate clause was to describe the property of an object (in this case, the book series), so I thought it wouldn't be appropriate to do that with past tense. I'm still trying to learn English.
@DonotLikePizza,
Then listen to Contrex and Sturgis.
I suppose you could add an addendum that the book publisher is still in business and still stuffing placing cards in the books.
@DonotLikePizza,
Quote:I'm sorry if you think the question is silly.
Don't be so hard on yourself. A very wise man told me several years ago, "
no question is silly or stupid. What is silly and often stupid is not asking".
Besides which, part of the purpose of this website is to answer questions.
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