Comments on: Beware the shifting tense http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:06:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jim Cunningham http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/comment-page-1/#comment-389491 Jim Cunningham Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:37:14 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/#comment-389491 In terms of fiction, I've had editors resist my tendency to shift to present tense when beginning a new chapter or segment. I see the general guideline here and understand that it's probably right. But I still think there may be opportunities to shift from past to present (not within the same sentence or paragraph or even within the same scene). On the other hand, the pragmatic advice about avoiding it in order not to distract the reader sounds reasonable. If we all followed rules so rigidly, though, where would a place exist for a writer like Faulkner with his five-page sentences and frequent errors and hugely confusing stories? J.P. Cunningham In terms of fiction, I’ve had editors resist my tendency to shift to present tense when beginning a new chapter or segment. I see the general guideline here and understand that it’s probably right.

But I still think there may be opportunities to shift from past to present (not within the same sentence or paragraph or even within the same scene). On the other hand, the pragmatic advice about avoiding it in order not to distract the reader sounds reasonable.

If we all followed rules so rigidly, though, where would a place exist for a writer like Faulkner with his five-page sentences and frequent errors and hugely confusing stories?
J.P. Cunningham

]]> By: Michael http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/comment-page-1/#comment-111940 Michael Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:36:36 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/#comment-111940 Above, you indicate that "In academic writing, the general rule is to use present tense when citing published sources." This is clearly an inappropriate convention. Although the published source is in existence today, the words in that source were written in the past. To refer to those words in the present tense is misleading because it suggests that the author of that source is saying those words again today. In many cases due to the passage of time and intervening events, the author may very well not say those same words today. Above, you indicate that “In academic writing, the general rule is to use present tense when citing published sources.” This is clearly an inappropriate convention. Although the published source is in existence today, the words in that source were written in the past. To refer to those words in the present tense is misleading because it suggests that the author of that source is saying those words again today. In many cases due to the passage of time and intervening events, the author may very well not say those same words today.

]]> By: Alice http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/comment-page-1/#comment-65031 Alice Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:42:12 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/#comment-65031 I try to be careful about shifting tense. It's one of those things that makes me cringe. I was looking at my TV guide, and happened to see, "Squidward thinks Mr. Krabs is overpaying, so he decided to do something about it." I try to be careful about shifting tense. It’s one of those things that makes me cringe.

I was looking at my TV guide, and happened to see, “Squidward thinks Mr. Krabs is overpaying, so he decided to do something about it.”

]]> By: June 2007 « M. J. Maddox http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/comment-page-1/#comment-37814 June 2007 « M. J. Maddox Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:27:51 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/#comment-37814 [...] as Noun and Verb * 22: The Possessive Apostrophe * 21: Whatever Happened to “Arrested”? * 21: Beware the shifting tense * 19: All Pronoun Cases Are Created Equal * 18: The Gentleman Fled on Foot * 13: Advertising May Be [...] [...] as Noun and Verb * 22: The Possessive Apostrophe * 21: Whatever Happened to “Arrested”? * 21: Beware the shifting tense * 19: All Pronoun Cases Are Created Equal * 18: The Gentleman Fled on Foot * 13: Advertising May Be [...]

]]> By: Are you reading Daily Writing Tips? at erin-go-blog! http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/comment-page-1/#comment-837 Are you reading Daily Writing Tips? at erin-go-blog! Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:32:45 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/#comment-837 [...] Beware the Shifting Tense [...] [...] Beware the Shifting Tense [...]

]]>