It probably depends on the actual example. The one you give is fine, however
Word (XP) also believes it to be fine. It isn't hard to construct sentences
with differing tenses that are not OK though, and equally sentences with
different tenses that the Grammer checker rejects, but which convey
intentions perfectly. In the past I have even had the grammer checker
suggest a correction, which I have taken only to have the checker resuggest
my original sentence. My rule is to ask myself will my audience understand
me? If they will then ignore the grammer checkers suggestions, if they might
not then have a look at the offered alternative and consider that.
--
Niall Litchfield
Oracle DBA
Audit Commission Uk
"Dusan Bolek" <pagesflames_at_usa.net> wrote in message
news:1e8276d6.0111060431.7ef3c1e4_at_posting.google.com...
> nsouto_at_optushome.com.au.nospam (Nuno Souto) wrote in message
news:<3be6709b.2665631_at_news>...
> > >Actually your original use of suspect was just fine. I suspect that ...
> > >perfectly covers your situation of 'I don't know for siure but I
imagine...'
> > >Suspect as a noun is pretty much exclusively used for 'person under
criminal
> > >investigation'. As a verb it has wide applicability.
> > >
> >
> > And when all else fails, just say:
> >
> > I wonder...
>
> I will dare to use this thread for one more completely off-topic
> question. I know that this newsgroup is definitely not a good place
> for asking such questions, but I could not find alt.english.forstupid
> newsgroup. :-)
>
> <--Begin of offtopic
> In minutes of meeting I need very often to describe something said in
> past about future. For example: Mr. No-need-for-name-here asked if
> our-product-name will be sold officially.
> Grammar checker in MS Word doesn't like this sentence and I got
> something as "Generally, if the first verb of a sentence is in the
> past tense, all subsequent verbs must be in the past tense" and also
> some examples. I do not think that computer grammar checker is a
> reliable source for these informations.
> So I need to know if this is true. If I should use a past tense for
> all other verbs, then how can I know that we have been talking about
> something in future ?
>
> End Of offtopic-->
>
> Sorry again for this off-topic and thanks for reply.
>
> --
> _________________________________________
>
> Dusan Bolek, Ing.
> Oracle team leader
>
> Note: pagesflames_at_usa.net has been cancelled due to changes (maybe we
> can call it an overture to bankruptcy) on that server. I'm still using
> this email to prevent SPAM. Maybe one day I will change it and have a
> proper mail even for news, but right now I can be reached by this
> email.
Received on Tue Nov 06 2001 - 08:39:21 CST
