Present Tense or Past Tense?

Moray_001 · Post by **Moray_001** » 19 Aug 2018, 21:23

Do you prefer to write in present tense or past tense?

Which is more convenient for you? And is it really difficult to stick to a particular tense when writing?

jjmainor · Post by **jjmainor** » 19 Aug 2018, 22:03

Past tense. It's not at all difficult to stick to it, but the past perfect and all that can feel a little weird. Sometimes it doesn't sound right putting all the "had"s and "have"s in front of the verb when it's correct.

Jennifer Fernandez · Post by **Jennifer Fernandez** » 19 Aug 2018, 22:04

I think past tense makes more sense to me. The use of present tense while telling a story is kind of weird, in my opinion. Why would you narrate a story while it's happening? Of course, in dialogs, it makes more sense to use the present tense.

Moray_001 · Post by **Moray_001** » 20 Aug 2018, 04:18

jjmainor wrote: ↑19 Aug 2018, 22:03 Past tense. It's not at all difficult to stick to it, but the past perfect and all that can feel a little weird. Sometimes it doesn't sound right putting all the "had"s and "have"s in front of the verb when it's correct.

I find it weird using two hads in a sentence right after each other. Is that even correct? E.g I’d had enough.

Moray_001 · Post by **Moray_001** » 20 Aug 2018, 04:21

Jennifer Fernandez wrote: ↑19 Aug 2018, 22:04 I think past tense makes more sense to me. The use of present tense while telling a story is kind of weird, in my opinion. Why would you narrate a story while it's happening? Of course, in dialogs, it makes more sense to use the present tense.

I sometimes find myself mixing tenses without even realizing it. I also prefer to write in past tense.

Jennifer Fernandez · Post by **Jennifer Fernandez** » 20 Aug 2018, 15:57

Moray_001 wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 04:21
Jennifer Fernandez wrote: ↑19 Aug 2018, 22:04 I think past tense makes more sense to me. The use of present tense while telling a story is kind of weird, in my opinion. Why would you narrate a story while it's happening? Of course, in dialogs, it makes more sense to use the present tense.

I sometimes find myself mixing tenses without even realizing it. I also prefer to write in past tense.

For me English is a very difficult languages when it comes to tenses. There is no consistency with the verbs.

jjmainor · Post by **jjmainor** » 21 Aug 2018, 20:44

Moray_001 wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 04:18
jjmainor wrote: ↑19 Aug 2018, 22:03 Past tense. It's not at all difficult to stick to it, but the past perfect and all that can feel a little weird. Sometimes it doesn't sound right putting all the "had"s and "have"s in front of the verb when it's correct.
I find it weird using two hads in a sentence right after each other. Is that even correct? E.g I’d had enough.

I had an example just come to mind:

"He had had a good time at the circus."

Then again, maybe it isn't right...