Re: Past actions with present verbs ?!?

In article <4468b7ea$0$6686$8fcfb975@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, John of Aix
<j.murphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
David wrote:

Yes, it's perfectly all right to use the "historic present" (or
"historical present") tense in this way. It's commonly used to give
more emphasis or sense of dynamism than a simple past tense
provides.

Yes but it is far less common than the past tense and can only really
be used if 'narrating a timeline' so that the speaker and listener
are situated in the present as each event happens. I'd avoid it
personally and certainly wouldn't recommend this to a learner as it
will complicater their life somewhat.

Then you certainly wouldn't recommend they listen to the English
evening news programmes.

"After the break: the Druids greet the Midsummer dawn...."

--
David - toro-danyo atcost uku fullstop co fullstop uk
http://www.toro-danyo.uku.co.uk/
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Past actions with present verbs ?!?
    ... "historical present") tense in this way. ... be used if 'narrating a timeline' so that the speaker and listener ... Then you certainly wouldn't recommend they listen to the English ... evening news programmes. ...
    (uk.culture.language.english)
  • Re: Song lyrics, again
    ... are customarily told in the present tense. ... perhaps to warn the listener to be ready to laugh. ... It also commonly occurs in personal anecdotes ("So I'm doing yard-work, ... my wife comes out and says...") -- possibly again warning the listener that, ...
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