The tv was running quite smoothly.

[subhajit123]

Hi teachers, suppose I have a T.V and it has been running quite well until now, then it has just stopped displaying picture. Can I say "Hey mom, what happened to th T.V? it was/has been running quite smoothly until now." I admit I have posted previous threads relating to "until now". Should I use 'until now' or any other phrase instead of it?


If there is anything ungrammatical in my sentences, please correct it.

 

[Matthew Wai]

The TV had been working well but just failed.

 

[GoesStation]

Modern TVs are digital systems that generally have just two running conditions: they work or they don't. Running quite smoothly doesn't work for one of them because it suggests that it's possible for a TV to work, but not very well. I'd reserve that expression for mechanical systems like sewing machines and cars.

It would be natural to say "Hey Mom, what happened to the TV? It was working fine until just now."

 

[Roman55]

I'd also use working rather than running for a television.

The situation you describe is not very realistic, though. Is your mum an electrical engineer or something? How is she supposed to know what is wrong with the TV, unless she was there when it stopped working and has an explanation for it? If that were the case, 'until now' wouldn't make sense because it would have stopped working earlier, and you just realised it.

"Hey mum, what happened to the TV? It was working fine the last time I used it and now it isn't."

 

[subhajit123]

Does this sound natural: 'hey mum, what happened to the tv? It has been working quite well but has just stopped"

 

[Matthew Wai]

It was working fine but has just died.

 

[GoesStation]

Does this sound natural: 'hey mum, what happened to the tv? It has been working quite well but has just stopped"

This would be OK: "It was working but then it stopped." It would be more natural to end with "it turned off."

Since TVs generally either work or don't these days, there's no need for an intensifier. Quite is a marker for Indian English, which uses it far more often than American English does.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Modern TVs are digital systems that generally have just two running conditions: they work or they don't.

The OP did not say it was a modern TV. It could be a CRT TV.

 

[emsr2d2]

The OP did not say it was a modern TV. It could be a CRT TV.

No wonder it failed then! Let's hope he/she never wants to sell it. ;-)

 

[GoesStation]

I probably should have focused more on the unsuitability of running smoothly for a modern electronic device than on whether such devices have a range of functionality.