what's the rule for tense consistency within a sentence?
I have a doubt regarding tense consistency within the same sentence. Which one between these two sentences is correct?
A - when he comes out of the house, a storm blows all over the city. B - when he comes out of the house, a storm is blowing all over the city.
Or in this instance
A - a man comes out of the house, takes his time to check the surroundings. B - a man comes out of the house, taking his time to check the surroundings.
When, as a general rule, is it proper to use a continuous in the second part of the sentence?
Solution 1:
When, as a general rule, is it proper to use a continuous in the second part of the sentence?
The continuous form is not specific to the "first part" or "second part" of a sentence. The continuous form has a specific function:
The continuous form of the verb indicates an action that is/was/will be (i) incomplete and (ii) in progress (iii) at the time that is being referred to. Thus the action has started but it has not yet finished.
-> I will be/am/was/have been/had been riding a bike = I will be/am/was/have been/had been in the process of riding a bike but have not yet finished riding the bike at the time I am referring to.
The continuous form used to be known as “the imperfect”: It was called “imperfect” because the action had not been “perfected” i.e. it had not finished.
OED
- Grammar. Applied to a tense which denotes action going on but not completed; usually to the past tense of incomplete or progressive action.
1871 H. J. Roby Gram. Latin Lang. §549 Three [tenses] denoting incomplete action; the Present, Future, and Imperfect (sometimes called respectively, present imperfect, future imperfect, past imperfect).