tenses

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tomaszsz
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tenses

Unread post by tomaszsz »

Hi!

I would like to express the fact that a British politician lives in GB and helps his friends, but sometimes leaves his country to travel.

Would such a sentence be acceptable:

While in Britain, he tries to help his friends.

?
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NicolasSales
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Re: tenses

Unread post by NicolasSales »

I think "When in Britain, he tries to help his friends" would be more appropriate.

:)
johnsimpson
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Re: tenses

Unread post by johnsimpson »

Inappropriate in the logic sense, as the grammar is ok. He/she is a British politician and assumed to be a British subject of Britain,residing in Britain. So is it necessary to state while or when in Britain, just because he happens to travel abroad sometimes?
dooori
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Re: tenses

Unread post by dooori »

What options should be left what others should be eliminated?
Does the use of the past tense "stopped", automatically implies the use of the past for "cross"?
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cerealkillah
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Re: tenses

Unread post by cerealkillah »

I think that "when" would be more appropriate (as in "When in Rome, do as the Romans do.") In some contexts it may be necessary to highlight the fact that the politician travels a lot and tries to help his friends when he comes back. I think this might be the case. Otherwise tomaszsz wouldn't have asked the question.
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