The queen reflected on life's "final partings and first meetings."

[kadioguy]

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celeb...lizabeth-christmas-broadcast-2021-transcript/
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For the "reflected", is it also okay or even better to use the present simple tense here? Since it is a secondary headline.

Friend: It is fine to use the simple present there. I might use it myself.

Me: So are both the present and past okay there?

Friend: Yes.
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I agree with them. However, I'd also like to hear your opinions.

 

[emsr2d2]

The speech is always recorded in advance so the past simple works fine. During the recording, she reflected on those things. However, the present simple would work equally well in a headline or a caption in a news story.

 

[kadioguy]

The speech is always recorded in advance so the past simple works fine. During the recording, she reflected on those things. However, the present simple would work equally well in a headline or a caption in a news story.

If you don't mind, here is one last question:

Do you think that the following "writes" is also okay to be "wrote"? If not, what is the difference between this one and the one in post #1?

(Edit: Changed "this case" to "this one")

https://time.com/collection-post/5820596/taiwan-coronavirus-lessons/

 

[emsr2d2]

No, "wrote" wouldn't work there. The article that "writes" refers to is printed directly under that sub-title.

 

[kadioguy]

No, "wrote" wouldn't work there. The article that "writes" refers to is printed directly under that sub-title.

The “write” in the present simple is to describe what the reader is about to read, not to tell you what she did [wrote]. It is like “Ms. Tsai tells us about how her country prevented Covid-19.”

Could I say that?

 

[Tarheel]

Yes. That's fine.

 

[kadioguy]

I have new thoughts to improve post #5:

The “write” in the present simple is to describe what the reader is about to read, not to tell you what she did [wrote]. The present simple there is like a host is telling us "let's see what happens next".

Another reason is that it is like “Ms. Tsai tells us about how her country prevented Covid-19.” Her thoughts exist there.

Is this right?