Comments on: Beware the shifting tense http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 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 [...]

]]> By: Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/comment-page-1/#comment-268 Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:11:56 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/beware-the-shifting-tense/#comment-268 Thanks for your timely information. I have a blog that I write and my husband has a book that he is writing. I am his first proofreader. He likes to go back and forth with his tense. Sometimes he does it so much that I get confused as to what he wants to say. I printed out this article for him to read. I sometimes do it also in the excitement of getting my words on paper. Thanks, Patricia Thanks for your timely information. I have a blog that I write and my husband has a book that he is writing. I am his first proofreader. He likes to go back and forth with his tense. Sometimes he does it so much that I get confused as to what he wants to say. I printed out this article for him to read. I sometimes do it also in the excitement of getting my words on paper. Thanks, Patricia

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