Is this sentence grammatically correct?
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The following sentence is grammatically correct:
He swung his legs, and sang a song.
But I'm unsure if this is correct:
He swung his legs, singing a song.
It sounds correct to me, but I'm not sure about the present participle, unless what is meant is:
He swung his legs, [and he was] singing a song.
grammar tenses
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
migrated from writing.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for the craft of professional writing, including fiction, non-fiction, technical, scholarly, and commercial writing.
add a comment |
The following sentence is grammatically correct:
He swung his legs, and sang a song.
But I'm unsure if this is correct:
He swung his legs, singing a song.
It sounds correct to me, but I'm not sure about the present participle, unless what is meant is:
He swung his legs, [and he was] singing a song.
grammar tenses
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
migrated from writing.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for the craft of professional writing, including fiction, non-fiction, technical, scholarly, and commercial writing.
add a comment |
The following sentence is grammatically correct:
He swung his legs, and sang a song.
But I'm unsure if this is correct:
He swung his legs, singing a song.
It sounds correct to me, but I'm not sure about the present participle, unless what is meant is:
He swung his legs, [and he was] singing a song.
grammar tenses
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
The following sentence is grammatically correct:
He swung his legs, and sang a song.
But I'm unsure if this is correct:
He swung his legs, singing a song.
It sounds correct to me, but I'm not sure about the present participle, unless what is meant is:
He swung his legs, [and he was] singing a song.
grammar tenses
grammar tenses
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
asked yesterday
Bradley MarquesBradley Marques
1084
1084
migrated from writing.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for the craft of professional writing, including fiction, non-fiction, technical, scholarly, and commercial writing.
migrated from writing.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for the craft of professional writing, including fiction, non-fiction, technical, scholarly, and commercial writing.
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
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votes
You ask whether the sentences are "grammatically correct" - which they are.
But, to me, they do not (necessarily) mean the same thing:
He swung his legs, and [then] sang a song.
Although both parts of the sentence are in the simple past tense, it is not clear from your wording whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
He swung his legs, [while] singing a song.
Here, the first part of the sentence is in the simple past tense, but the second part is in a continuous tense and it is clear that the two actions were simultaneous.
So in summary:
- Yes, they are both "grammatically correct".
- But, the first sentence is ambiguous as to whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
- In the second sentence, the two actions were clearly simultaneous.
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
Makes sense to me. Thanks!
– Bradley Marques
5 hours ago
add a comment |
"He swung his legs, and sang a song."
Tense-wise, this is correct. But, it does't need a comma. Your "and" sufficiently links the two clauses. If he was doing more than just swinging his legs you would insert a comma to list his actions. Such as:
"He swung his legs, waving his arms and singing a song."
"He swung his legs, singing a song."
This sentence is correct. Yes, your comma takes the place of your "and was". There is no disagreement between your participles.
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
I suppose you were going for asonginance, but did you need to duplicate "a song"?
– Hot Licks
yesterday
@HotLicks My bad. Edited.
– matildalee23
yesterday
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
You ask whether the sentences are "grammatically correct" - which they are.
But, to me, they do not (necessarily) mean the same thing:
He swung his legs, and [then] sang a song.
Although both parts of the sentence are in the simple past tense, it is not clear from your wording whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
He swung his legs, [while] singing a song.
Here, the first part of the sentence is in the simple past tense, but the second part is in a continuous tense and it is clear that the two actions were simultaneous.
So in summary:
- Yes, they are both "grammatically correct".
- But, the first sentence is ambiguous as to whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
- In the second sentence, the two actions were clearly simultaneous.
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
Makes sense to me. Thanks!
– Bradley Marques
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You ask whether the sentences are "grammatically correct" - which they are.
But, to me, they do not (necessarily) mean the same thing:
He swung his legs, and [then] sang a song.
Although both parts of the sentence are in the simple past tense, it is not clear from your wording whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
He swung his legs, [while] singing a song.
Here, the first part of the sentence is in the simple past tense, but the second part is in a continuous tense and it is clear that the two actions were simultaneous.
So in summary:
- Yes, they are both "grammatically correct".
- But, the first sentence is ambiguous as to whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
- In the second sentence, the two actions were clearly simultaneous.
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
Makes sense to me. Thanks!
– Bradley Marques
5 hours ago
add a comment |
You ask whether the sentences are "grammatically correct" - which they are.
But, to me, they do not (necessarily) mean the same thing:
He swung his legs, and [then] sang a song.
Although both parts of the sentence are in the simple past tense, it is not clear from your wording whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
He swung his legs, [while] singing a song.
Here, the first part of the sentence is in the simple past tense, but the second part is in a continuous tense and it is clear that the two actions were simultaneous.
So in summary:
- Yes, they are both "grammatically correct".
- But, the first sentence is ambiguous as to whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
- In the second sentence, the two actions were clearly simultaneous.
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
You ask whether the sentences are "grammatically correct" - which they are.
But, to me, they do not (necessarily) mean the same thing:
He swung his legs, and [then] sang a song.
Although both parts of the sentence are in the simple past tense, it is not clear from your wording whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
He swung his legs, [while] singing a song.
Here, the first part of the sentence is in the simple past tense, but the second part is in a continuous tense and it is clear that the two actions were simultaneous.
So in summary:
- Yes, they are both "grammatically correct".
- But, the first sentence is ambiguous as to whether the two actions were sequential or simultaneous.
- In the second sentence, the two actions were clearly simultaneous.
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
answered yesterday
TrevorDTrevorD
10.7k22458
10.7k22458
Makes sense to me. Thanks!
– Bradley Marques
5 hours ago
add a comment |
Makes sense to me. Thanks!
– Bradley Marques
5 hours ago
Makes sense to me. Thanks!
– Bradley Marques
5 hours ago
Makes sense to me. Thanks!
– Bradley Marques
5 hours ago
add a comment |
"He swung his legs, and sang a song."
Tense-wise, this is correct. But, it does't need a comma. Your "and" sufficiently links the two clauses. If he was doing more than just swinging his legs you would insert a comma to list his actions. Such as:
"He swung his legs, waving his arms and singing a song."
"He swung his legs, singing a song."
This sentence is correct. Yes, your comma takes the place of your "and was". There is no disagreement between your participles.
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
I suppose you were going for asonginance, but did you need to duplicate "a song"?
– Hot Licks
yesterday
@HotLicks My bad. Edited.
– matildalee23
yesterday
add a comment |
"He swung his legs, and sang a song."
Tense-wise, this is correct. But, it does't need a comma. Your "and" sufficiently links the two clauses. If he was doing more than just swinging his legs you would insert a comma to list his actions. Such as:
"He swung his legs, waving his arms and singing a song."
"He swung his legs, singing a song."
This sentence is correct. Yes, your comma takes the place of your "and was". There is no disagreement between your participles.
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
I suppose you were going for asonginance, but did you need to duplicate "a song"?
– Hot Licks
yesterday
@HotLicks My bad. Edited.
– matildalee23
yesterday
add a comment |
"He swung his legs, and sang a song."
Tense-wise, this is correct. But, it does't need a comma. Your "and" sufficiently links the two clauses. If he was doing more than just swinging his legs you would insert a comma to list his actions. Such as:
"He swung his legs, waving his arms and singing a song."
"He swung his legs, singing a song."
This sentence is correct. Yes, your comma takes the place of your "and was". There is no disagreement between your participles.
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
"He swung his legs, and sang a song."
Tense-wise, this is correct. But, it does't need a comma. Your "and" sufficiently links the two clauses. If he was doing more than just swinging his legs you would insert a comma to list his actions. Such as:
"He swung his legs, waving his arms and singing a song."
"He swung his legs, singing a song."
This sentence is correct. Yes, your comma takes the place of your "and was". There is no disagreement between your participles.
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
answered yesterday
matildalee23matildalee23
1212
1212
I suppose you were going for asonginance, but did you need to duplicate "a song"?
– Hot Licks
yesterday
@HotLicks My bad. Edited.
– matildalee23
yesterday
add a comment |
I suppose you were going for asonginance, but did you need to duplicate "a song"?
– Hot Licks
yesterday
@HotLicks My bad. Edited.
– matildalee23
yesterday
I suppose you were going for asonginance, but did you need to duplicate "a song"?
– Hot Licks
yesterday
I suppose you were going for asonginance, but did you need to duplicate "a song"?
– Hot Licks
yesterday
@HotLicks My bad. Edited.
– matildalee23
yesterday
@HotLicks My bad. Edited.
– matildalee23
yesterday
add a comment |
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