is this sentence awkward?

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I wondered whether you'd recommend that I starting preparing now.

If so, how would you change it?

Thanks.

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Type: Question • Score: 2 • Views: 1,160 • Replies: 10

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@perennialloner,

perennialloner wrote:

I wondered whether you'd recommend that I starting preparing now.

If so, how would you change it?

Thanks.

Without more context it's hard to assess. But, standing alone, the tensing seems awkward to me. You're saying you "wondered" (in the past) about something involving the future (whether you "would"). If it's yet to be determined, why not say "wonder?" If everything is now a past event, then why would it really matter now?

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@layman,

Quote:

Without more context it's hard to assess. But, standing alone, the tensing seems awkward to me. You're saying you "wondered" in the past, about something involving the future (whether you "would"). If it's yet to be determined, why not say "wonder?" If everything is now a past event, then why would it really matter now?

Without any knowledge of the English language, it is impossible for you to comment on these issues.

Punky says 'would' is the past tense.

I wondered whether you'd recommend that I starting preparing now.

"wondered" is the past tense of 'wonder' but it is NOT past tense in meaning in situations like this.

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@perennialloner,

I wondered whether you'd recommend that I starting preparing now.

Change 'starting' to 'start' and you will be fine. I wonder why you thought to use 'starting' in the first place.

I wondered whether you'd recommend that I start preparing now.

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@camlok,

Yeah, Perry, "starting" makes it all the more "awkward." I didn't even read it closely enough to notice that when I gave my original reaction. "Starting" is just plain wrong, and not just because of the tense.

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@layman,

You're still confused, layman. I'm not "Perry".

Your sniveling attempts at trying to sneak away from your other crazy notions are noted.

You never seem to read anything closely enough and even if you were to do such a thing, you still lack the knowledge of the English language to comment on these things.

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@camlok,

camlok wrote:

You're still confused, layman. I'm not "Perry".

And, for his sake, thank god you're not. I wasn't talking to you, punk.

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@layman,

More diversion to hide your incompetence. That diversion illustrates your dishonest nature.

Just come clean, layman. Both you and I, and most everyone else, know you know nothing about the workings of the English language, but you persist in spreading your ignorance far and wide.

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Starting was a typo. Maybe autocorrect. I wrote it on my phone. Sorry.

I wrote a similar sentence to an employer, and im stressing out about it. I think the sentence would be better without the that?

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@perennialloner,

perennialloner wrote:

I wrote a similar sentence to an employer, and im stressing out about it. I think the sentence would be better without the that?

Don't stress. The sentence is correct either with or without 'that'. In fact 'that' is more formal so that's good for an employer.

1 Reply

@centrox,

Thanks for the reassurance. I feel better now.

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is this sentence awkward?

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