swam or swum
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I'd go for "swam" unless you're doing something like:
"He had swum for almost two hours before he collapsed."
"He had swum for almost two hours before he collapsed."
Good Word said:
It's hard to say without seeing more, but there's nothing at all wrong with "He had been swimming for almost two hours," so why look for alternatives?
Swum is the past participle; swam the simple past.
I'd want to see the whole sentence, and I'd probably avoid both
And what we really have with swam and swum is the merging of two Germanic dialects in Old English.
At least that's the current theory . . .
You all wanted to know that, right?
I'd want to see the whole sentence, and I'd probably avoid both
And what we really have with swam and swum is the merging of two Germanic dialects in Old English.
At least that's the current theory . . .
You all wanted to know that, right?
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Thanks, guys.
Actually, I'm editing a manuscript and at least the first few pages (where I'm at so far) use past participle big time, so I'm inclined to stick with it, I guess, although I'm mulling the necessity or effectiveness, you know?
The almost full sentence:
He had swum for almost two hours, then dried off by doing calisthenics...
That probably doesn't help much more, does it?
ETA: Thanks for the Germanic tidbits, Lisa. Enquiring minds do want to know.
Actually, I'm editing a manuscript and at least the first few pages (where I'm at so far) use past participle big time, so I'm inclined to stick with it, I guess, although I'm mulling the necessity or effectiveness, you know?
The almost full sentence:
He had swum for almost two hours, then dried off by doing calisthenics...
That probably doesn't help much more, does it?
ETA: Thanks for the Germanic tidbits, Lisa. Enquiring minds do want to know.
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"had swum" is pluperfect -- a completed past action that occurs before some other action, also in the past:
he had swum to the island before she arrived
he had completed a two-hour swim before he passed out
he had been swimming for two hours when he collapsed.
he had swum to the island before she arrived
he had completed a two-hour swim before he passed out
he had been swimming for two hours when he collapsed.
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Good Word said:
This would work:
He swam for almost two hours and then dried off...
There really is no need for the past perfect tense.
Speaking as a reader .... "had ___" is a verb form that kills my interest, destroys immediacy, and makes me stop reading.
I didn't think that swum was a word but apparently, it is the past participle of swim...............so you live and learn! However, it is an uncomfortable word to use and therefore, I would go with swam or swimming also.
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