Calling all grammar police...

[Helena Handbasket]

Question for the grammar police of Terb.

Would this be correct grammar?

*Sheila's dishwasher overflowed and there is water on the floor.*

silly question I know, but I have some money riding on this lol

thanks

 

[papasmerf]

Question for the grammar police of Terb.

Would this be correct grammar?

*Sheila's dishwasher overflowed and there is water on the floor.*

silly question I know, but I have some money riding on this lol

thanks

Was not is.................past tense is set by overflowed


If you want it present tense it would be Sheila's dishwasher is overflowing and now there is water on the floor.

 

[Helena Handbasket]

Alright, but it should read as past tense.

Lets say I was informed of the mishap after it has happened and Sheila has not cleaned up the water.

Is the sentence alright in the past tense.

 

[papasmerf]

Yes, the sentence could be correct. The overflow event happened, but the consequence could remain....

na........ but I don't speak ebonics

 

[Lou Siffer]

In most cases, the past tense rule would apply. However, in this case, the sentence is fine the way it is.

 

[Questor]

Nothing wrong with the sentence unless the water has already been cleaned up, in which case it should correctly say, "Sheila's dishwasher overflowed and there was water on the floor."

 

[Helena Handbasket]

Thanks! xo

FWIW, the person who told me I was incorrect also showed me what would be the correct sentence. I still think he is wrong.

He said * Sheila's dishwasher overflowed. There is water on the floor.*

I pointed out that I didn't think it needed 2 seperate sentences. In one sentence I can say what happened and what the problem is, without it being a run on sentence.

 

[markvee]

Question for the grammar police of Terb.

Would this be correct grammar?

*Sheila's dishwasher overflowed and there is water on the floor.*

silly question I know, but I have some money riding on this lol

thanks

When "and" separates two clauses (groups of words that could stand alone as sentences with no "and"), I use a comma.
Sheila's dishwasher overflowed, and there is water on the floor.

If the dishwasher is still in a state of overflowing, I would add the word "has".
Sheila's dishwasher has overflowed, and there is water on the floor.

I think run-on sentences are more a matter of style than absolute grammatical correctness.

 

[stinkynuts]

The sentence is fine as it is, your friend needs to go back to grade 5. Why would it need two seperate sentences? The ideas are related.

 

[Perry Mason]

na........ but I don't speak ebonics

Nor, apparently, grammatically correct English, either... but that we have long known from your past posts.

And I agree, Helena, that the sentence is perfectly proper as it is.

Perry

 

[Dani]

Nor, apparently, grammatically correct English, either... but that we have long known from your past posts.

And I agree, Helena, that the sentence is perfectly proper as it is.

Perry

Perry; there can be no perfectly proper. The fact it is proper is perfect in and of itself.
Definition....strictly limited to a specified thing, place, or idea.

DO NOT SHOOT THE MESSENGER

 

[jackd1959]

MarkVee - you get a gold star

When "and" separates two clauses (groups of words that could stand alone as sentences with no "and"), I use a comma.
Sheila's dishwasher overflowed, and there is water on the floor.

If the dishwasher is still in a state of overflowing, I would add the word "has".
Sheila's dishwasher has overflowed, and there is water on the floor.

I think run-on sentences are more a matter of style than absolute grammatical correctness.

This would be correct...

 

[jerbear]

I need to see a picture , I can't read ! LOL

 

[Perry Mason]

DO NOT SHOOT THE MESSENGER

Won't you change your mind? The kind of shot I have in mind won't hurt you... I promise!

Perry

 

[tboy]

Yup, sentence is fine the way it is .......

As for the "corrected" version I believe there is a rule about using a comma with the word and, but I'm not 100% on that. A comma is typically used to denote a break in the sentence, though not enough of a break to require a period (like I just did there).

For example:
A comma is typically used as a break in a sentence. It is also used instead of a period which denotes a dramatic (dynamic) separation of the two thoughts.

A comma is typically used as a break in a sentence and it can also be used instead of a period.

Sorry, don't know the technical terms for the above....

 

[papasmerf]

Nor, apparently, grammatically correct English, either... but that we have long known from your past posts.

And I agree, Helena, that the sentence is perfectly proper as it is.

Perry

"IS" is the present tense...........used with past tense is about as wrong as you can get...........Remember we are who we wish others to see us.........Not who others see

 

[BallzDeep]

I want to give you some advise, you're a looser for not knowing this........I'm only kidding but these are the two most misused words on here, I don't know why it bothers me, but it does.......sorry, completely unrelated, carry on.

 

[papasmerf]

Sheila's dishwasher overflowed and there is water on the floor.

Sheila's dishwasher overflowed and there was water on the floor.

The first sentence tells you that the water is still there.
The second tells you that that the water isn't there anymore.

Why is either sentence wrong? They're expressing two different situations.

first sentence assumes a present tense of a past tense action

Second sentence correctly states the fact.


when writing one must be more formal than in conversation





Here we use conversational writing

 

[Lou Siffer]

"IS" is the present tense...........used with past tense is about as wrong as you can get......

The English language is full of "rules" that have exceptions in certain cases. This is one of those cases.

.....Remember we are who we wish others to see us.........Not who others see

I'm really not sure what your second point is.

 

[basketcase]

When "and" separates two clauses (groups of words that could stand alone as sentences with no "and"), I use a comma.
Sheila's dishwasher overflowed, and there is water on the floor.

If the dishwasher is still in a state of overflowing, I would add the word "has".
Sheila's dishwasher has overflowed, and there is water on the floor.

I think run-on sentences are more a matter of style than absolute grammatical correctness.

I believe that the comma only gets used with "and" if you are talking about a series. An example would be "I hate grammar, spelling, and punctuation." The statement "I hate grammar and punctuation" needs no comma (then again, I could be wrong. I studied Engineering, not English)