[Grammar] Tense problem in a news report

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LiuJing

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Revenue down in November at Coast casinos

22 December 2010





MISSISSIPPI -- Revenue has been up for the past three months at Coast casinos, but dipped in November, The Sun Herald reported.


Revenue decreased $1.6 million in November over the same period in 2009, the report said.

River casino revenue also fell, the Sun Herald noted.

Revenue down in November at Coast casinos

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According to what I have learned in school, the red part should be in past perfect tense, shouldn't it? If I am right, how do I change the wording of
the past three months to reflect the fact that it actually means the months of August, September and October?

Thank you.
 

Tdol

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I'd say 'revenue had been up for three months but then dipped in November'.
 

Rover_KE

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I agree with Tdol, LiuJing.

However, newspaper reports have to be written every day by busy journalists under intense pressure with deadlines to meet. They are not meant to be perfect examplars of correct grammar or blueprints for students to adhere to.

The surprising thing to me is that there are so few mistakes in the average newspaper.

In your example the meaning is crystal clear, and the wrong tense will upset nobody but the most pedantic of grammarians.

If it was written in November, we all know what the last three months were; there's no need to name them.

Rover
 
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