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#658057 10/08/08 02:47 AM
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Which style of writing do you prefer?

Present tense:
I see her sitting there
Smiling back at me

or

Past Tense
I saw her sitting there
She smiled back at me

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I think your writing is stronger if you do not use gerunds, but a song could be very conversational in its delivery and people do not often speak with entirely proper English anyway.

Last edited by Jack Swain; 10/08/08 03:20 AM.
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I do not think it matters what tense you use or if you use "proper English". What is important is that the song's lyrics convey that feeling, message or story in a way that makes sense and is pleasing to the ear. I would suggest writing the lyrics both in past and present tense and see which one best suits that particular song.

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Like Jack, I feel that images are much stronger when gerunds aren't used. (This holds true for any kind of writing.) However, it will depend on what else is happening in the line and on what kind of tone you want to establish.

DM



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I kind of like a blend of the two -

I saw her sitting there
Smiling back at me.

Correct English isn't the biggest concern - it's mostly about conveying an emotion or message.

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Thanks everyone for your comments.

Jack and Donna: please explain why gerunds diminish writing.

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I like to use both tenses in songs. I often have verses in past tense and choruses in present tense or I'll switch a song from past to present (or vice versa) at a certain point.

Originally Posted by Mary Jo
I saw her sitting there
Smiling back at me.


Strictly speaking, this is not a blend of two tenses, is it? In prose you would write that as a single past tense line with a gerund:

I saw her sitting there smiling back at me.

The line as a whole is past tense.


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I also cannot get my head around why gerunds should not be used.
Some of the best words around are gerunds.

Loving, wriggling, squirming, charming, struggling, wandering, etc etc etc. These words do not ring without the ING.

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Scuse my ignorance, but what's a bloomin' gerund ?!

cheers, niteshift

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A word ending in "ing". or it could be a gazelle type thing or maybe it is foreign currency from some minor African nation. Perhaps others can come up with an alternative meaning. I will admit it I had to google to find out.

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Thanks Jim.

I didn't do too bad at English at school, but I thought someone was making things up. Never heard of it before. We live and learn......

cheers, niteshift

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I had one surgically removed once. Left a nice conversation stimulating scar.

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Rick, removing a gerund should not leave a scar. Just give them a nice funeral and all will be fine.<g>

And I think gerunds in a song are okay. Take protection, of course--but you should always take protection.<g>

That help?

joe

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I would like to remove the gerunds from a couple of bank CEOs at his moment.

Actually an ing word is only a gerund if it functions as a noun so there are no gerunds in

I see her sitting there
Smiling back at me

A gerund would be "sitting is a nice occupation".


Colin

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For mine there is NO "should you use" anything in song writing except maybe "you should use what's best" for that song/ line...

There are basic rules to use as a guide that talk about what usually works, but in song writing like english there are exceptions to every rule.... sorta like the one Jack spoke about "writing is stronger if you do not use gerunds" except where a gerund makes for a stronger line in the song.... "you should use past tense" except where you think present tense makes the song stronger.. or maybe I have that round the wrong way... Rules are not important "commonly used" is not necessarily best but then by the same note should not be avoided because of "Commonly (read "over") used"

Cheers




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We are friendly with the gerunds now that the Nazis are gone.

I have a hard time with these questions because my mind does not work that way. I don't have a favorite song, and I don't prefer one tense over another. To me, it's more a matter of judging how well one writes in any tense...they place us in time, and different songs demand different tenses.

Those were the days...these are the good old days...will you still love me tomorrow...

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I don't like gerunds but I like geruns - like smilin, laughin and sittin......

Scott

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I do not feel to well this morning I had to rush to the toilet and now my gerunds are killing me. Perhaps some of that cream applied liberally might soothe them.

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Fortunately, my gerunds are in good shape. Sadly though, I've got a dangling participle that's killing me.


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HiDee Bro Shayne!

IF you're writing for The Younger Crowd, I'd recommend Present Tense. (Or even Future Tense.)

An Older Audience is prolly Cozier with The Past Tense.

I personally prefer the Present Tense..fewer Cobwebs-to-be-Cleared..& generally Happier Subject Matter. Present Tense puts a listener INTO the Action...Past makes ya an Onlooker.

JMO, natch!

Best Wishes & a Big Guy-Hug,
Stan

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Originally Posted by Colin Ward
I would like to remove the gerunds from a couple of bank CEOs at his moment.

Actually an ing word is only a gerund if it functions as a noun so there are no gerunds in

I see her sitting there
Smiling back at me

A gerund would be "sitting is a nice occupation".


Colin is right.

I have obviously let my own grammatical skills slip a bit. It is not enough to simply add "ing" to a verb for it to be a gerund.

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Gerund: It’s what I would to say to Big Jim when it’s his turn to buy the beers. I would say: “Oi Jim! gerund in” grin

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Hey, wasn't there a '50s or '60s pop song about these, by one of those Black Girl Groups? "Gerund-rund-rund-rund, gerund-rund-rund"?

Joe


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