Grammar question

brutus · Jun 26, 2017

I've been told by my editor that I should change this sentence: "Eventually, the political climate boiled over and I was able to blah, blah, blah..."

To this: Eventually, the political climate did boil over and I was able to..."

The second construction feels awkward, and it certainly isn't how I speak most of the time.
The conflict is "Did boil" versus "Boiled."
I'm speaking in the past tense, so I don't really see a problem with "boiled".

Also, the sentence is in the context of a memoir, not a technical manual or an article in a literary magazine or some such thing.

What say you?

Albedo · Jun 26, 2017

I would use the second only if it was for emphasis: 'eventually, the political climate did boil over [whereas it hadn't before]'. If that's not what they're angling at, it does sound weird.

Dennis E. Taylor · Jun 26, 2017

The two sentences have slightly different meanings to me.

"Boiled" feels like a simple statement of happenstance, i.e. the narrator wasn't particularly waiting for it or expecting it, but it happened, so stuff.

"Did boil" feels more like an event that was being anticipated, for which the narrator had a response ready. Or even something that the narrator had actively helped to bring about.

Cindyt · Jun 26, 2017

I'm just giving it a shot here.

To me it would depend of the previous sentence(s). For instance "They warned the political climate might boil over. In that case I would add the "did" before "boil over." Otherwise, I'd drop the "Eventually" and go with "The political climate boiled over..."

randi.lee · Jun 26, 2017

"Did" is redundant unless using for emphasis as stated above.

Bufty · Jun 26, 2017

If the previous narrative was considering the ifs and buts of what might happen if things got out of hand, I would find the change perfectly acceptable. It's not a matter of how you speak- it's a question of relativity and context.

blacbird · Jun 26, 2017

I agree about the emphasis thing, and the issue of context. This is not a grammar issue; it's a style issue.

caw

Grammar question

brutus

Albedo

Alex

Dennis E. Taylor

Get it off! It burns!

Cindyt

Gettin wiggy wit it

randi.lee

Certified Non-Genius

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

blacbird