EPTIt would be "is" if:
He was still reading the book.
Can't really think of any other situation that would make it present tense. So, while is may sound acceptable, it is grammatically incorrect.
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Holyflare
United Kingdom30774 Posts
It would be "is" if: He was still reading the book. Can't really think of any other situation that would make it present tense. So, while is may sound acceptable, it is grammatically incorrect. | ||
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Ketara
United States15065 Posts
My supervisor seems to think that "is" is correct, as in "what is your favorite food" Life for ketara is weird these days. I might get fired soon. Also married. | ||
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Holyflare
United Kingdom30774 Posts
On June 29 2017 18:46 Ketara wrote: See that's what I say. My supervisor seems to think that "is" is correct, as in "what is your favorite food" Life for ketara is weird these days. I might get fired soon. Also married. Your favourite food is a continuous thing. You presently enjoy that food so, "What is your favourite food?" is correct because it is currently your favourite food. If you say, "What was your favourite food?" you generally assume that it's something you used to like that has changed or perhaps you visited a country recently and were asked what your favourite food was there. These things all happened in the past. The statement you posed a question for has already occured and is in the past and therefore would be was. The continual favour of something in the book isn't applicable here because you have read and do not continue to read a book. If the question were instead, "What is your favourite book?" then it would be more acceptable. If the question were instead directed to someone reading the book currently then is would be the chosen phrasing. It's tough because grammar has many blurred lines and people often say things wrong so they become ingrained into our minds and sound correct but aren't. Also sad. But also congrats? | ||
TheYango
United States47024 Posts
On June 29 2017 18:52 Holyflare wrote: The continual favour of something in the book isn't applicable here because you have read and do not continue to read a book. If the question were instead, "What is your favourite book?" then it would be more acceptable. So what if the the context is ambiguous about whether the reader is currently reading the book or has already read it? Ketara provided the context in the poll which points to one answer. But suppose someone is responding to someone who says "X is my favorite book", and it is not given whether they are reading or have finished reading the book? | ||
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Holyflare
United Kingdom30774 Posts
On June 29 2017 19:16 TheYango wrote: So what if the the context is ambiguous about whether the reader is currently reading the book or has already read it? Ketara provided the context in the poll which points to one answer. But suppose someone is responding to someone who says "X is my favorite book", and it is not given whether they are reading or have finished reading the book? Context matters a great deal. What's the situation surrounding it? Honestly I'm not quite sure in this situation. Talking in real terms I'd presume in order to make something their favourite they would have to be done with it and respond in the past tense (was) also. I realise that isn't always the case though so asking a preceding question to determine is probably better. My grammarfu is mediocre at best. | ||
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mordek
United States12704 Posts
I honestly think either is fine but I'd probably default to "was" in most situations. | ||
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Ketara
United States15065 Posts
As an example, lets say it wasn't a book we were talking about, lets say it was a concert. You wouldn't ask the person "what is your favorite part of the concert" unless you were physically at the concert while you asked. You'd ask "what was your favorite part of the concert?" You're not asking the person about a quality of their character IE what is your favorite food, something that is perpetual. You're asking them about their feelings in relation to an experience, that they are not currently having. So you need to use the past tense verb. That's just me, though. I also agree that it's a horrendous amount of nitpicking. | ||
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Holyflare
United Kingdom30774 Posts
English sucks is what we take away from this. | ||
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Slayer91
Ireland23335 Posts
The context of reading a book and then being asked about it sounds like a past event. If you were discussing the book events itself in a conversation using "is" might feel more natural | ||
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GhandiEAGLE
United States20754 Posts
"I read this book last week and I loved it" precedes "what was your favorite part of the book" "I happen to love this book" precedes "what is your favorite part of the book" You have to match the tense, guys. English isn't that hard. | ||
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Seuss
United States10536 Posts
Case 1: "I really like Book Title." (Alt: "I really like Book Series") "Me too, what's your favorite part?" Case 2: "I just finished reading Book Title" "Sweet, what was your favorite part?" In the first case falls in line with Mordek's example, the context is the present feelings of the one person, so present tense is correct. In the second case it's clearly past tense. | ||
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GhandiEAGLE
United States20754 Posts
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Requizen
United States33802 Posts
On June 29 2017 23:28 GhandiEAGLE wrote: Plateaus are the highest form of flattery | ||
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Seuss
United States10536 Posts
Also, well played Req, well played. | ||
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mordek
United States12704 Posts
We should have a Superfight! day each week. | ||
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Requizen
United States33802 Posts
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killerdog
Denmark6522 Posts
On June 30 2017 01:59 Requizen wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvxNaSIB_WI L looks way too normal, looks forced trying to do the crouchy thing too :< | ||
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Frolossus
United States4779 Posts
On June 30 2017 01:59 Requizen wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvxNaSIB_WI my main issues with this are that misa and light seem to be portrayed incorrectly | ||
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Karis Vas Ryaar
United States4396 Posts
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Seuss
United States10536 Posts
On June 30 2017 03:22 Frolossus wrote: my main issues with this are that misa and light seem to be portrayed incorrectly Spoiled for incredible length:+ Show Spoiler + I don't like using terms such as "incorrectly" for that sort of thing. It implies there's a single, specific way to portray a character effectively when really portrayals can be as different as night and day and still be both amazing and true to the character. Not that I expect anything like that in this case. At face value it looks like your typical "we need to change things for the American audience" conversion, doomed to be a poor facsimile of the original rather than a new take/direction for the story and setting. It might be successful regardless, but then a novel concept with good timing can go a long way even if the execution has deep flaws (SEE: Sword Art Online*). Ultimately I think it comes down to Light more than any other character, and some of what we've seen in the trailer is concerning. I'm skeptical Light works as a character without the conviction that he is in the right. He doesn't necessary need the god complex, but he does need the confidence and motivation to push forward even as he is being pursued. It's his unwavering forward momentum that drives his relationships with L and Misa, and if he's wishy washy beyond the early, experimental stages the importance and effectiveness of those relationships are going to be undermined. *Obviously Sword Art Online wasn't all that novel, many other anime about being trapped in a video game or even MMORPGs specifically came long before it, but since every 10ish years a new generation of people arrive who haven't encountered the concept, and people who missed it the first time become approachable because the medium has become more mainstream accessible, novel is less about being the literal first and more about being the first someone encountered. | ||
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