阿忠 ā zhōng
Should i use "get" or "got" in the following sentence? It is time we get/got round to see the Building. pls tell why you use get or got. Thanks advance
26 feb 2010 03:56
Risposte · 4
1
a zhong, The present and past subjunctive are still in use in the English language. The present subjunctive is more common in America. Grammarians argue about which is more correct but it does not change the fact that both are currently in use. There are three acceptable ways to express your idea: 1) It is time we (get) round to see the building. This is a suggestion for immediate future action in the present subjunctive. (The present simple is also used here. It would be the 4th way of expessing your idea.) 2) It is time we (got) round to see the builiding. This is a suggestion for future action using the past subjunctive. It can indicate some uncertainty about whether we will actually do it or regret that we have not yet done it. 3) It is time we should get round to see the building. This is also a suggestion for future action that replaces the past subjunctive. By using "should" you can avoid the subjunctive entirely (and all the arguments about which form is correct.)
26 febbraio 2010
1
Hello, Here you use "got". You use the Past Subjunctive , when the action is likely to arise in the near future and is possible. It is a suggestion here as well. The person suggests they got around the building. Although GOT appears to be the past tense of the verb to GET,actually they didn't go around to see the building yet. Here, the past subjunctive is used to express a wish or a suggestion.
26 febbraio 2010
I think in European countries they would be more likely to say "got round" In America, you would be more likely to hear "It is time we get around to seeing the building" since got would imply that the actiion has already been completed
26 febbraio 2010
When in doubt, always use a simpler sentence to illustrate the same: "tt's high time we DID something about that." "Would be nice if someone SPOKE up for her." Etc.
26 febbraio 2010
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