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  1. H. Antler

    H. Antler Member

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    Past tense can have a today, right?

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by H. Antler, Nov 13, 2019.

    I started writing and I am using past tense.
    In my piece I wrote something along the lines of: "duck was old but today he felt great"

    It got me all suspicious if past tense forces me too look backwards in time or if I can have present and the future in the story too. Naturally the characters point of view has it all but also abstract context too.

    Sorry if this is ultra basic question.
     
  2. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    Unless the main narrative is written in present tense, stick to past tense. So yes, "today he felt great" is fine.
     
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  3. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    Actually no.
    "Duck was old, but that day he felt great."
    "Today" is only for the here and now (which of course includes dialogue).
     
  4. The Piper

    The Piper Contributor Contributor

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    No, that's fine.
     
  5. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    Piper, in a grammatical sense it's not fine at all. But fiction often bends rules.
     
  6. Richach

    Richach Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    'Duck was old but today he felt great.'

    I don't think it reads very well apart from anything else. You are correct that using p.o.v gives different perspective than that of the author/narrator including the tense. That may then lead to another more complex can of worms such as consistent p.o.v. Might be easier to leave it in the past tense. Hard to say without more context. Is it a children story?
     
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2019
  7. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Its fine even in the grammatical sense in dialogue or thought since you are reporting what someone felt in the past hence felt rather than feels - its 'today' for the character when he forms the thought.

    Its not okay grammatically in narration since today for the speaking head narrator is the here and now
     
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  8. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    It would be more correct to say "Today, Tony the Tiger was feeling great" imo.
     
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  9. Thundair

    Thundair Contributor Contributor

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    Using 'today' there would be the same as using 'now' both are present tense.

    duck was old, but now he felt great

    EDT Added a comma between two independent clauses
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2019
  10. Richach

    Richach Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    Only Great! Not Greattttt!!!!!!
     
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  11. Storysmith

    Storysmith Senior Member

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    Today refers to the narrator's "today". If instead you had written:

    Duck ate breakfast earlier today.

    Wouldn't you interpret that as our today, rather than some arbitrary date in the past which was "today" for the people going through it at the time? I think that's why we have "the day before", "that day" and "the next day", because we can't always use "yesterday", "today" and "tomorrow".
     
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  12. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    Today can be in the past.

    Today, I went shopping. There is an implicit "earlier" in the sentence.
     
  13. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    In narration yes, but not in dialogue or thought

    "Hell it's hot today" duck said

    I feel great today, duck thought

    are both valid in the past tense - and it may not be necessary to have the tags if you are in close third
     
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  14. Seven Crowns

    Seven Crowns Moderator Staff Supporter Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    "The present is already past. Lay the cadavers of these dead moments upon the bed. Cover them with a snow-white sheet, put them in a child’s coffin." -- Clarice Lispector

    Kind of reminds me of that quote . . . By the time you measure a sensation, it's already behind you, partially if not wholly, so past tense always works.
     
  15. Richach

    Richach Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    I think this thread may have broader connotations as it develops. It is therefore important to remember this:

    Ultimately the reader has control. If the author gets it wrong the reader may choose to close the book for good. So use whatever tools you need be it dialogue, narrative, p.o.v. Just don't get it wrong. This is about the reader trusting the author so don't just have an opinion. Make sure you get it right.
     
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  16. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    Put it this way:
    "Today, he feels great"

    Is clearly wrong, unless the story is being written in present tense.
     
  17. Storysmith

    Storysmith Senior Member

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    Sure, that's why characters talk in the present tense while acting in the past. But the original line was "duck was old but today he felt great", which is a narrator's line. If duck thinks about his current state in the third person and the past tense, then duck is very odd.
     
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