#1  
Old 10-Sep-2005, 19:00
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Default Tense problem

What we have said to this point makes it sound like tense shifting is a bad thing.

Question for the above sentence: Shouldn't sound be sounds?

My second question is to whether or not I should use a past or present tense to make this generalization. A friend of mine did something nice to me last week. I saw her today, should I say "It was nice of you to do such and such to me last week" or "It is nice of you to do such and such".

Thanks in advance for answering these questions, which has been bogging me down.
  #2  
Old 10-Sep-2005, 19:28
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Default Re: Tense problem

There, I'd use the past as the event was in the past.
  #3  
Old 10-Sep-2005, 21:24
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Default Re: Tense problem

Quote:
Originally Posted by tdol
There, I'd use the past as the event was in the past.

Thanks tdol. I was leaning toward that too. How about answering my first question?
  #4  
Old 11-Sep-2005, 18:25
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Default Re: Tense problem

No, the correct version is "makes it sound" as the pattern is VNinf - Verb+ noun+ infinitive
  #5  
Old 11-Sep-2005, 20:01
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Default Re: Tense problem

For the first question, I'd use the present because the introductory verb in the present perfect links it to now. We rarely backshift with an introductory verb in the present.
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