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Grammar question about mixing tense

Thebrin

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Hey all,

I feel like I should know this
I was writing another chapter of my SF/F crossover novel, and I realized I was mixing the tenses of verbs within the same sentence.
The novel is generally 3rd person omniscient intercranial, past tense.
I could swear that I've read books where well-known authors do this, but I can't find a good example.

Here's an example I wrote:
The wizard trudged uphill to the group of trolls resting at the valley mouth.
So, I'm using past tense "trudged" and present tense "resting."
I could rewrite it to say
The wizard trudged uphill to the group of trolls as they rested at the valley mouth.
but it feels wordier and unnecessary.Of course if the first sentence is grammatically wrong I'll do the second.

Here's another example:
Reining to a halt, he continued the lesson, Jandarand following along with intense eyes.
Is this correct? Yes, "Jandarand" is a character name. A "working" name, ok? lol

Another question is that if it is incorrect grammar, is it OK to break that rule (in moderation) on purpose?
And have you seen any (famous) authors do this?

I think at this point I'm confusing myself and thought I'd ask the grammar experts here.

Please help! :Shrug:
 

Maryn

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Whew! You're not mixing tenses at all. You're using present participles, the -ing form of a verb serving as an adjective or the basis of an adjectival phrase. If the action described by a present participle is ongoing during the main verb's time, it's perfectly correct regardless of the main verb's tense.

Maryn ate the steaming spaghetti. (It's just an adjective describing the spaghetti, right?)
Maryn had already gobbled the garlic bread sitting on the table to cool. (Now we have an adjectival phrase.)
Maryn will consume disgusting amounts of Italian food before night's end. (Just an adjective.)

See, you worried for nothing. I wish all writing questions were this easy.

Maryn, not the grammarian around here
 

Thebrin

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...See, you worried for nothing. I wish all writing questions were this easy.

Hi Maryn! Thanks for the reply. (Love the Vinnie van Gogh mask, BTW.)
I'm glad the question's easy for someone ;)

Ok, good to know about PPs. I'm sure I learned that, long, long ago. Maybe.
I claim not grammar expertise. Or whatever. Ah, English.

For some odd reason, I seem to like PPs in my writing, usually in a adjectival phrase.
Too much O.S.C. in my reading past? :tongue

Usually I sound it out, and if it sounds un-horrible I write it down, and let someone tell me where I screwed up.
Hopefully beta readers or proofreader, not a reader after it's published. Doh!

I'm sure I'll come up with another softball question soon.
Thanks again for setting me straight.
 

Maryn

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I think for most people with reasonable English skills, deciding if something sounds un-horrible is a pretty good test. It never matters if you know names like present participle, unless and until you want to discuss them. (As discussion topics go, I'm sure you and I could find something more interesting, yes?) Your ear usually knows what's right.

Maryn, who will literally discuss weather
 

Chris P

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Yeah, what Maryn said (I probably postthat a lot).

Not to overthink things, but here I got. I benefit from recognizing the subtle differences between your two trolls examples, and can then use as a tool to emphasize different ideas.

In your first example, as a reader I note that the trolls are resting while the action of the wizard is taking place; it is important that the two verbs, trudging and resting, are happening at the same time and are being done by two different things. I pictured the trolls acting on their initiative (they are actively something-ing) here.

Your second example is all about the wizard and what the wizard is doing. The trolls are not actively something-ing on their own initiative as they are in the first.

Perhaps someone with more training or experience can explain this better, but although both examples are perfectly correct, there are subtle differences in what the two sentences communicate.
 

Z0Marley

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Incoming the lazy person's way of doing this... :D

I actually posted a video last Friday about this and found an AMAZING piece of software. While I always recommend learning what Maryn laid out, I think technology can really help showcase when we make these errors and make us more aware what is okay and what isn't.