Thread: Boy with the bruised eye

Originally Posted by kgcole

I wouldn’t break that up into two sentences. It flows, and is more to the point and tense of the narration by saying “I was sitting at my desk playing.” The sentence “I played a game” denotes finality to the action, and destroys the tone of narrating an action that was not yet complete.

I understand your explanation on “I was sitting at my desk playing” and completely agree. “Playing” here is not a part of the predicate as it was in my version, it’s participle. No questions. I was just wondering about the tense of the verb “to play”. Though I am certain now that if we didn’t mention that the boy was sitting, you would say, “I was playing a game on my phone”. Am I right?

Originally Posted by kgcole

Yes, I’m certain that is correct. But it could also be stated as “I had a fight with Peter today”. You could also say “I have fought with Peter today”, but again it’s a matter of fluency. Saying things correctly in a short form denotes fluency and flows. Are you familiar with contractions? One could say “I cannot go to the movie with you”, and it would be correct, but it’s strict and unnecessary. It’s more conversational and fluent to say “I can’t go to the movie with you”. The former is considered haughty, and strict, the latter as comfortable and fluid.

Aren’t “I’ve fought” or “I’ve done” or “I’ve met” almost that short? Why don’t you use them in that sentense if they make sense”?

Originally Posted by kgcole

I’d say “…distorted in the person’s mind…” and not “….curved in the person’s mind”.

Distorted? No. I meant that I would remember your correction, that I would keep the correct version in my mind.