pale afternoon sun was shining

[alpacinou]

Hello,

I have written these sentences to describe sunshine in the afternoon. Do they work? Which one is better?

1. The pale afternoon sun was shining through a hole.

2. The afternoon sun was shining palely through a hole.

 

[EditorBob]

The first one works well. The second is problematic.

Pale is an adjective that describes an object. Palely, as you've used it in your second sentence, would be an adverb modifying shining, but palely isn't a very common form of the word. (I don't think I've ever run across it.) Something like weakly would work better, but I would still stick with the first option.

 

[Yankee]

I would go with #1, but I'm not sure about "a hole" without some descriptive info.

 

[Tarheel]

Alpa, do you mean a hole in the clouds?

 

[tedmc]

Peering through the clouds perhaps.

 

[Tarheel]

Personification.

 

[Rover_KE]

Alpa, do you mean a hole in the clouds?

... or in your roof?

 

[alpacinou]

Thanks everyone. Yes I meant a hole in the roof.

 

[alpacinou]

Now, my question is, what would be the difference between simple past and past continuous and which one is better?

1. The pale afternoon sun was shining through a hole in the roof.

1. The pale afternoon sun shone through a hole in the roof.

 

[Yankee]

Now, my question is, what would be the difference between simple past and past continuous and which one is better?

1. The pale afternoon sun was shining through a hole in the roof. At some particular time in the past.

1. The pale afternoon sun shone through a hole in the roof.r At no particular time in the past.

Y

 

[GoesStation]

Now, my question is, what would be the difference between simple past and past continuous and which one is better?

1. The pale afternoon sun was shining through a hole in the roof.

1. The pale afternoon sun shone through a hole in the roof.

In isolation, the sentences have little difference in meaning. Context would determine which one to use.

 

[alpacinou]

In isolation, the sentences have little difference in meaning. Context would determine which one to use.

What is the difference? Imagine I'm writing a story. Which one should I use?

1. We were at the factory. The pale afternoon sun was shining through a hole in the roof. Jack was exhausted and said he wanted to take a break.

2. We were at the factory. The pale afternoon sun shone through a hole in the roof. Jack was exhausted and said he wanted to take a break.

 

[GoesStation]

What is the difference? Imagine I'm writing a story. Which one should I use?

1. We were at the factory. The pale afternoon sun was shining through a hole in the roof. Jack was exhausted and said he wanted to take a break.

2. We were at the factory. The pale afternoon sun shone through a hole in the roof. Jack was exhausted and said he wanted to take a break.

I prefer number 2. Both versions of the second sentence convey the ongoing nature of what the sun is doing. The past simple is, well, simpler.