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Ask for help > A question about still.
A question about still.
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Nizarsouth
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A question about still.
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Hi colleagues! I �m a little bit confused about the word" still" when it is used as an adverb that means continuing. Can we use "still" in different tenses simple past, simple present, future... Example:It was 10 am and Alfred was still in bed. Is this sentence correct? What about this one: It will be 11 pm and he will still be in bed? Another question my colleagues, what �s the difference between these two sentences: 1 she asks him:" what �s the matter?" 2- she asked him:"what �s the matter?" which one is correct or more common? Thanks a lot for your help. |
21 Apr 2011
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yanogator
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Yes, "still" can be used in different tenses, but your future example doesn �t quite work. He will still be in bed at 11:00, if I know him. Every time I �ve called him, he has still been in bed. Don �t call him now, he might still be in bed. For your other question, they are in different tenses, so we can �t say that one is more common. However, for #2, using the rules for reported speech, it would be "She asked him what the matter was". I just realized, though, that you were using a direct quote, so you �re right, except it would be better to use a comma than your colon. She asked him, "What �s the matter?". I �m sure you �ll get some other replies with more examples and explanation. Bruce |
21 Apr 2011
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Apodo
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It was 10 am and Alfred was still in bed. Is this sentence correct? YES= It �s late and he should be up
It will be 11 pm and he will still be in bed? NO
But you can say:
It is 11 pm and he is still up. (It �s late and he should be in bed)
At 11 pm he will still be up.
It will get to 11pm and he still won �t be in bed.
He left home early, but he still didn �t get to work on time.
He is still cleaning his teeth. (he has been cleaning them for a long time)
Have they still got that red car that they bought 10 years ago?
1 she asks him:" what �s the matter?" - present tense - but not usually used like this for dialogue.
2- she asked him:"what �s the matter?" - simple past - but I prefer:
"What �s the matter?" she asked. (This is the usual way it would be written in a novel with dialogue)
In reported speech we would say- She asked him what the matter was. |
21 Apr 2011
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MarionG
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Actually, I think the second example does work. I often tell my collegues before I go home:
"I got up at 6.30, prepared sandwiches for the kids to take to school, taught three hours and now I �m heading home. By the time I get home it will be 11 and he will still be in bed.
(referring to my musician husband who lives on an entirely different schedule..) |
21 Apr 2011
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Zora
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I also agree with Marion. 
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21 Apr 2011
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