Grammar Help, Please

mrs75 · Aug 25, 2005

I'm not sure if this is the right spot for this question or not, but it seemed to be the best place. Feel free to move it if need be. While I'm on this subject, I'd like to offer a suggestion, how about a board where writers can post grammar questions such as this? Just a suggestion

Now, for my grammar question. I'm a bit stumped, and I need your help, please. I'm writing a short fiction piece, and I'm writing it using past tense. With this one sentence I need help with a past tense word. Here let me do it this way:

The sentence is, "Everything was still fresh on her mind when she begun typing her e-mail".

My question, and again, I'm writing in past tense - keep this in mind when answering. Is begun the correct word for past tense? If it is not what would be the word you would use here if you were writing in past tense?

Thank you in advance.

triceretops · Aug 25, 2005

I'm just guessing--"began" ???

Tri

Unique · Aug 25, 2005

I'd use *began*, but the professional English manglers may have another idea.

(JK, you Master's and PhD's - just kidding.)

I think *begun* needs the helping verb - she has begun, I have begun...

Greer · Aug 25, 2005

began.

TheIT · Aug 25, 2005

Began. "Begun" belongs with "had".

She had just begun typing her e-mail when she heard a knock on the door.

alleycat · Aug 26, 2005

Or you could just rewrite the sentence as "She had begun typing her e-mail while everything was still fresh on her mind." and forget the whole thing!

ac

ccgriggs · Aug 26, 2005

I can help

I could copyedit your entire manuscript (for free). Because I'm trying to build up my portfolio, I'm freelancing for free right now! But don't worry, I'm a former professional newspaper journalist and have a degreee in Professional Writing. If you interested, e-mail me at [email protected] and we'll chat.

Tertius · Sep 23, 2005

beginned

Tertius · Sep 23, 2005

"Everything was fresh on her mind as she typed her email" might work.

awatkins · Sep 23, 2005

How about saying 'started' instead?

Like so: "Everything was still fresh on her mind when she started typing her e-mail".

Or maybe even: "She started typing her e-mail while everything was still fresh in her mind."

pconsidine · Sep 23, 2005

Anne's got the right approach. Rather than get hung up on a question like this, just write your way around it.

That's probably good advice for everyone.

mrs75 · Sep 23, 2005

I'd like to thank everyone for the responses. This story ended up taking a different turn and this sentance got cut. However, I do still thank everyone for the replies, and I will know in the future if it comes up again.

Jamesaritchie · Sep 23, 2005

"Began" is simple past tense. "Had begun" is past perfect, and not the right choice.

Sometimes looking for another choice is a good bet, but an even better bet is to learn how to get it right. When you try writing around grammar, trouble ensues. The phrase you think is best should always be used, an dyou can't allow grammar lapses to replace your first choice.

Grammar Help, Please

mrs75

triceretops

Unique

Agent of Doom

Greer

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

alleycat

Still around

ccgriggs

Tertius

Bliss-ninny

Tertius

Bliss-ninny

awatkins

Not harboring illegal parrot

pconsidine

Too Adorkable for Words

mrs75

Jamesaritchie