Can you say, "You ran in the park then"?
- Thread starter hirashin
- Start date
joadbres
八方凡人
- 19 Sep 2016
- 733
- 277
As always, it depends on the context. Probably the 'were running' form is most natural in most contexts, but the (b) version is not grammatically incorrect, so it is probably acceptable.
If you are referring to something that someone was in the middle of doing at some point in the past, the 'were ~ing' form is usually the best choice.
This is another example of something that is difficult for us to answer without surrounding context.
If you are referring to something that someone was in the middle of doing at some point in the past, the 'were ~ing' form is usually the best choice.
This is another example of something that is difficult for us to answer without surrounding context.
Habaek
Kouhai
- 27 Mar 2018
- 51
- 9
Only if you are a police officer interrogating a suspect.
- 8 Apr 2004
- 2,721
- 63
- Thread starter
- #4
Thank you for the help, joadbres.
It's a question from a grammar exercise book.
Q. Change the verb into the correct form. (←Does this sentence make sense?)
You [run] in the park then.
The author of the book may have assumed that "You were running in the park then" was the only answer.
But I thought "You ran in the park then" would also be possible. That's why I asked here.
It's a question from a grammar exercise book.
Q. Change the verb into the correct form. (←Does this sentence make sense?)
You [run] in the park then.
The author of the book may have assumed that "You were running in the park then" was the only answer.
But I thought "You ran in the park then" would also be possible. That's why I asked here.
