A simple sentence

commasplicer · Apr 8, 2010

Hi, all.

I am in a heated argument with an English teacher about a simple sentence--the following:

Months have passed since I last was home.

I know this can be written a number of ways, probably better, too.

She says it should read:

Months have passed since I was last home.

Can anyone explain this to me? Her version, to me, makes no sense.

Thanks!

sunandshadow · Apr 8, 2010

... Both look right to me.

tanglewoodtracey · Apr 8, 2010

Your teacher's version reads smoother to me but I'd probably cut it down even further to 'months have passed since I was home.'

Tracey

TheIT · Apr 8, 2010

Both versions look all right, though the second version is the way I'd write it. The first version seems more stylized.

Consider that both versions are basically missing a word:

Months have passed since I last was [at] home.

Months have passed since I was last [at] home.

Why don't you think the second one makes sense? If you try to interpret the second one as "I was home" meaning "I was the house", then yes, I could see it seeming weird. "Since I was last home" is what I'm used to hearing.

ETA: And I agree with tanglewoodtracey's edit.

Matera the Mad · Apr 8, 2010

The first version is approaching what I would call (Pretentiously) Poetic. It would be at home in High Fantasy or something hifalutin'. The second is normal, everyday, modern usage.

claws2 · Apr 8, 2010

commasplicer said:
.

Hi, all.

I am in a heated argument with an English teacher about a simple sentence--the following:

Months have passed since I last was home. (I like this. )

I know this can be written a number of ways, probably better, too.

She says it should read:

Months have passed since I was last home. (Ah, not so much. )

Can anyone explain this to me? Her version, to me, makes no sense.

Thanks!

Imo. To my ear, your version sounds better and is clearer.

Your teacher's version sounds watery to my ear. And that version also has the possibility to be ambiguous in meaning to some readers. E.g., two siblings could have a common history of racing home, and the "I" person has historically been usually the faster of the two, except for that day (when she arrived last, arriving after her sibling).

(Aside: The versions with "at" inserted in them sound a bit clunkier to me. Although, if your character talks that way, then that's fine.)

imo.

commasplicer · Apr 8, 2010

I'm more confused now than when I last was this confused!

kuwisdelu · Apr 8, 2010

They're the same. Don't overthink it.

claws2 · Apr 8, 2010

There's also perhaps, maybe, the possibilities: . . .

Months have passed since I, at last, was home.
Months have passed since I was, at last, home.

claws2 · Apr 8, 2010

commasplicer said:
I'm more confused now than when I last was this confused!

Real funny.

Sevilla · Apr 8, 2010

The second one is probably more proper. "I was" is the subject and verb. Inserting a modifier between them isn't the standard way of doing it. It's not wrong, just more stylized.

backslashbaby · Apr 8, 2010

Her way is just the way you usually hear it. There's no need to switch it up and confuse anybody. In other words, your way changes it from the usual, but why?

If you don't have a big reason why, and there is a usual way, go with the usual way.

Yours is grammatically correct, but that's not reason enough

kurzon · Apr 8, 2010

They're both correct. Your teacher's version is just 'more standardised' or 'more prosaic'. Yours has a slightly old-fashioned or poetic ring to it, but it's not wrong.

friendlyhobo · Apr 8, 2010

... see I would have said "It's been months since I was home last."
And I like the first one better. It sounds better read, while the other sounds better said?

gothicangel · Apr 8, 2010

I prefer the second one.

The first one, is one of those sentences I have to read several times, slowly to get the semantic meaning. Probably leading me to toss it.

shaldna · Apr 9, 2010

They are both correct. The first is an example of a pseudo-classicical sentance structure, more or less made redundant now by the prevellance of a more relaxed anglicised speech pattern, such as sentance two.

It's much of a muchness really.

kaitie · Apr 9, 2010

Matera the Mad said:
The first version is approaching what I would call (Pretentiously) Poetic. It would be at home in High Fantasy or something hifalutin'. The second is normal, everyday, modern usage.

I thought the first one sounded British. Then again, same thing, huh?*

*You know I love you!

dpaterso · Apr 9, 2010

commasplicer said:
I am in a heated argument with an English teacher about a simple sentence--the following:

Months have passed since I last was home.
...
She says it should read:

Months have passed since I was last home.

Your version sounds like narration from The Waltons.

Teacher's version sounds more natural, more contemporary.

Shrug, I could be wrong, but I wouldn't want to get into a heated argument over something so trivial, especially if teacher was marking my papers for the rest of the year.

-Derek

Lady Ice · Apr 9, 2010

commasplicer said:
Hi, all.

I am in a heated argument with an English teacher about a simple sentence--the following:

Months have passed since I last was home.

I know this can be written a number of ways, probably better, too.

She says it should read:

Months have passed since I was last home.

Can anyone explain this to me? Her version, to me, makes no sense.

Thanks!

First one sounds like something out of a 19th century novel. But I'd write it:

Months have passed since the last time I was home.

shaldna · Apr 9, 2010

kaitie said:
I thought the first one sounded British. Then again, same thing, huh?*

*You know I love you!

I know you do. Literature degree and Communications masters.

Captcha · Apr 9, 2010

What does your teacher say? I mean, if you're having a heated argument, s/he must have made some explanation, right?

Is s/he saying it's a better stylistic fit (which we can't judge without the context), or a grammar issue (which everyone seems to agree it isn't)?

Becky Black · Apr 9, 2010

I'd agree that both are correct gramatically, but they have a different effect. The question isn't which is gramatically correct, but which fits best in the context?

Jamesaritchie · Apr 9, 2010

I wouldn't use either, but if I had to choose, your teacher is correct.

CaroGirl · Apr 9, 2010

They're both grammatically correct. Which one to choose comes down to the voice of the rest of the piece. Which fits better within the context of the work as a whole? No sentence is an island.

Mac H. · Apr 9, 2010

I think you should decide to have heated arguments over more vital topics!

I can understand that you might prefer your version (it seems a bit more old fashioned and poetic) but I'm not sure why your teacher's version makes NO sense to you.

"Months have passed since I was last home."
How else would you interprete that sentence?

Mac

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