Would these sentences sound right?

hirashin

Sempai

Donor

8 Apr 2004

2,721

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• 20 Feb 2016

• #1

Dear native English speakers,
Would these sentences sound right?
1 (a) When she buys clothes, she thinks about whether (or not) they follow the latest trends.
(b) She thinks about whether (or not) clothes she buys follow the latest trends.
(c) She thinks about following the latest trends when she buys clothes.

2 (a) My father still wears the jacket that was in fashion ten years ago.
(b) My father is still wearing the jacket that was in fashion ten years ago.
(c) My father has still worn the jacket that was in fashion ten years ago.
(d) My father has still been wearing the jacket that was in fashion ten years ago.

Thanks in advance.
Hirashin

 

Zelkova Ki

後輩

22 Feb 2016

5

0

• 22 Feb 2016

• #2

One b and c are ok, c sound way to formal and isn't used often, but none of number two sound right. Two should be worded like. "My father still wears his coat from ten years ago. It was in fashion then." or "My fathers still wears his jacket that was in fashion ten years ago."

That what I would say.

 

mdchachi

Moderator

Moderator

Twenty-year veteran

6 Mar 2003

9,318

9,447

• 22 Feb 2016

• #3

I think they are all acceptable except 2c -- "has still worn" doesn't grammatically correct to me.

 

hirashin

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Donor

8 Apr 2004

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• 22 Feb 2016

• Thread starter
• #4

Thanks, Zelkova and mdchachi.
Zelkova, are you Canadian?
Hirashin

 

Zelkova Ki

後輩

22 Feb 2016

5

0

• 22 Feb 2016

• #5

hirashin said:

Thanks, Zelkova and mdchachi.
Zelkova, are you Canadian?
Hirashin

Click to expand...

Yes, I am from Canada.

 

J

johnnyG

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Fifteen-year veteran

23 Dec 2010

3,144

5,057

• 22 Feb 2016

• #6

1 a, b, and c are fine.

In 2, try replacing "the jacket" with "a jacket." Also, 2 a and b sound okay, but 2c is out. I think 2d is weak, 2b is a better version of it.

You might also use past: "(Before he died,) My father still wore a jacket..."

 

hirashin

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8 Apr 2004

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• 23 Feb 2016

• Thread starter
• #7

Thanks for the help, johnnyG.
Zelkova, do you read manga at 8? What's FLOW? is it a manga?

 

R

regalrender

Registered

26 Feb 2016

3

0

• 29 Feb 2016

• #8

All of the options from 1 are okay, however for 1c, "She tries to follow the latest trends when buying clothes" sounds better.

2a is good - It's actually perfect.
2b is good, however its meaning is slightly different from 2a.
2c is bad - the "still" doesn't work, and if you remove it, you get "my father has worn the jacket that was in fashion ten years ago". This sentence is past continuous, not present continuous, so its meaning is different. It implies that your father, in the past, wore a fashionable jacket, but it makes no claim on what's going on in the present.
2d is good.

All the sentences in 2 have slightly different meanings. I'm sure you know this, though.

 

hirashin

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8 Apr 2004

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• 3 Mar 2016

• Thread starter
• #9

Thanks for the help, regalrender.