How Much Is Enough?

[NOIRTRASH]

I opened an old novel by James M.Cain and closed it after 3 words: SHE WAS SITTING. Wrong. SHE SAT woulda bought more time from me. SHE SAT is SHE WAS SITTING without the passive aroma.

 

[lovecraft68]

Whew! Good thing my latest starts

"Abigail Lefay sat in the straight back wooden chair....

Least I know I could keep you going for a few words anyway.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Whew! Good thing my latest starts

"Abigail Lefay sat in the straight back wooden chair....

Least I know I could keep you going for a few words anyway.

You learned well Grasshopper

 

[NOIRTRASH]

The real topic should be, why are AH folks so fuggin clueless.

 

[Penuche]

Past continuous vs past perfect.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Past continuous vs past perfect.

So explain LITTLE MISS MUFFET SAT ON HER TUFFET vs LITTLE MISS MUFFET WAS SITTING ON HER TUFFET.

 

[Penuche]

So explain LITTLE MISS MUFFET SAT ON HER TUFFET vs LITTLE MISS MUFFET WAS SITTING ON HER TUFFET.

A non native anglophone would be more likely to use past continuous there (more grammatically correct). It's similar to non mothertongue speakers picking present continuous instead of simple present.

However, past perfect scans better and is therefore the usual preferred choice for colloquial use.

BTW there's no need to shout, I'm not deaf.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

A non native anglophone would be more likely to use past continuous there (more grammatically correct). It's similar to non mothertongue speakers picking present continuous instead of simple present.

However, past perfect scans better and is therefore the usual preferred choice for colloquial use.

BTW there's no need to shout, I'm not deaf.

Go fuck yourself, dear. Better?

 

[Kellazdriel]

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

I hate weak forms of 'to be' too, but quitting three words in might be a bit hasty.

 

[Carnal_Flower]

This is one of those "My high school teacher told me never to use this."

F cares? I like this construction.

She SAT could mean she just sat her ass down. A single event.
WAS SITTING makes it clear she still is.

Or, use a different word. Either change to "She reclined on the divan" or "Was sitting" is fine. She SAT on the divan sounds stupid.

I opened an old novel by James M.Cain and closed it after 3 words: SHE WAS SITTING. Wrong. SHE SAT woulda bought more time from me. SHE SAT is SHE WAS SITTING without the passive aroma.

 

[sr71plt]

Yeah, the original was just fine. We're not writing technical manuals here.

 

[Recidiva]

Rename the title to "Elegance" and resubmit.

Signed,

Someone trying really hard to be less wordy but that still means a paragraph that goes two pages instead of five. I worked hard on that.

 

[Penuche]

Rename the title to "Elegance" and resubmit.

Signed,

Someone trying really hard to be less wordy but that still means a paragraph that goes two pages instead of five. I worked hard on that.

*shrug* Just count yourself lucky if you don't read German; the more I do, the longer my sentences grow 'til reading them, no matter how clearly punctuated, becomes an endurance exercise.

 

[Recidiva]

*shrug* Just count yourself lucky if you don't read German; the more I do, the longer my sentences grow 'til reading them, no matter how clearly punctuated, becomes an endurance exercise.

This is not a problem for someone who is so hyperlexic that words = yay!

I don't read German though, wish I did.

 

[sr71plt]

Go fuck yourself, dear. Better?

This is James' way of admitting he was wrong.

 

[someoneyouknow]

Yeah, the original was just fine. We're not writing technical manuals here.

Have you seen technical manuals recently? Have you seen A manual recently?

Both could stand to be run by the authors on here.

 

[sr71plt]

Have you seen technical manuals recently? Have you seen A manual recently?

Both could stand to be run by the authors on here.

The last technical manual I worked with was the writing guide for U.S. intelligence agencies--which I guess isn't the same as the last one I picked up--one with instructions for putting together a floor lamp. I immediately turned it over to my scientifically brained wife.

As with another thread running here--citing the Associated Press style guide (meant for journalism), a lot of folks don't seem to understand that fiction and nonfiction are different animals, with different writing guidance.

 

[someoneyouknow]

The last technical manual I worked with was the writing guide for U.S. intelligence agencies--which I guess isn't the same as the last one I picked up--one with instructions for putting together a floor lamp. I immediately turned it over to my scientifically brained wife.

As with another thread running here--citing the Associated Press style guide (meant for journalism), a lot of folks don't seem to understand that fiction and nonfiction are different animals, with different writing guidance.

I was thinking more of the manuals for an MFP (multi-function printer) and how one is supposed to configure the various components. They have become similar to the "Build Your Own Story" books where you start at step 1 and from there have eight separate sub-headings to go to to see what they're talking about. Each sub-heading then has 3-5 other subheadings and cautions you have peruse.

Apparently linear progression when describing a process has been abandoned.

 

[sr71plt]

Every technical "help" I've ever read doesn't start with my step 1 and it omits my steps 3 and 5, leaving me dead in the water no later than there.

 

[LIVINRFANTASIES]

Denny---<-----that's me! The male half

So explain LITTLE MISS MUFFET SAT ON HER TUFFET vs LITTLE MISS MUFFET WAS SITTING ON HER TUFFET.

Denny-----------Most children's stories were written in England. I am not from England and don't understand English. I am from America where we speak and write English!

Some things that have always made me wonder, just what is a TUFFET.

Also the lady was shot in the fracus and the bullet is in her yet.

I am not a doctor, not even an English doctor, so have never been able to figure out what a fracus or a woman's yet is.

Then there's that thing about putting together a floor lamp. It really ain't rocket surgery or brain science but since the instructions and the lamps come form China it takes a ten year old American kid to assemble most floor lamps.

I've just about had enough. I will just sit here and wait for answers.

 

[Recidiva]

Denny----------- I am not from England and don't understand English. I am from America where we speak and write English!

Somethings that have always made me wonder, just what is a TUFFET.

Also the lady was shot in the fracus and the bullet is in her yet.

I am not a doctor, not even an English doctor, so have never been able to figure out what a fracus or a woman's yet is.

Then there's that thing about putting together a floor lamp. It really ain't rocket surgery or brain science but since the instructions and the lamps come form China it takes a ten year old American kid to assemble most floor lamps.

I've just about had enough. I will just sit here and wait for answers.

fracas.

 

[Serafina1210]

She sat in the wingback chair and lighted her cigarette.

She was sitting on a park bench when a branch fell and crushed her skull.

She had been sitting in the hard wooden chair for an hour before she was finally called to the window.

There's no rule to avoid the progressive. Any construction will be appropriate given the right context.

BTW, "was sitting" has nothing whatsoever to do with the passive voice. If you were to say, "she was sat on weekly, and that went far to explain her flatness," that would be the passive.