Metallica_Band

Hey there...I need to write an essay in third person and in present tense...so what words CAN'T I use and which CAN I??? I think I was asleep when I was taught this in high school so I missed out...THANX
C'YA ?:-D

EeOh1

Example of third person writing in the present tense:

Joe walks down the street with his hands in his pockets.

You can't use possessive pronouns like I, we, us, our when writing in the third person. Because your story has to be in the present tense, the verbs must be in the present form, they can't be past tense. (eg. walked, ran, swam would be, walks, runs, swims).

Hope that helps.

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Metallica_Band

So what are all the first person words??? If there are too many or whatever then gimmie a list of a bunch...I can't use he she, us, it, you, I, would, should, our, shall, we, etc...what else can't I use???

As for present tense, those are present tense verbs right??? Nothing ending in -ed right??? what else???

EeOh1

First person words are like: I, our, me, us, we...

Third person words are like he, she, it, them, they - you can use those.

And, in most cases, yes, as long as you lack an -ed you should be fine.

"He types at his computer" instead of "He typed at his computer".

Anything else?

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Metallica_Band

I know about those words...but what about other words that I haven't mentioned...I get present tense but what about 1st & 2nd person words??? What are all that I can/can not use??? There shouldn't be that much are there??? Would it be a lot to list???

hunnychile

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Mephisto2

Metallica_band,

Several people, myself included, gave you plenty of tips and suggestions in your last post regarding the essay on Memphis. Personally, I spent about 30 minutes retyping and revising the entire essay. Others made many comments and suggestions.

Over a week has passed and you haven't bothered posting a single reply to that thread.

The questions you ask above are pretty simple and can easily be answered by even a cursory search on google for a English grammar site, or by buying a book such as Fowlers English Language Usage (though this is probably too pedantic and heavy-going for day to day reference).

You are more likely to get answers if you reply to those that have already been answered with thanks.

TFP is give and take. At present it seems that we give and you take. Not a good thing.

Mr Mephisto

Metallica_Band

Hey...I give...I just don't give as much when I am in college and my teachers are total pricks...like that essay you helped me on (which I thank you for) was given a 56...A 56!!! I was like WTF!!!! FUKING TEACHER!!! But EVERYONE got a low grade...she is the pickiest English teacher I know...luckily she let everyone redo it...so I had to redo it and am about to write it all out AGAIN...AHHHH!!!! I just wanna smack the teacher with a chair sometimes...and you know what's even worse??? I call her house, cell, fax, school, and email her and page her but she never replies...then when I tell her about it she acts so suprised that I couldn't get ahold of her...so I get a bad grade cause some of my questions about the essay weren't answered...I HATE HER!!! AHHHH!!!!

OK...I'm alright I think...I swear...if she doesn't give me AT LEAST a B then I'm gonna freak out in front of the whole class...cause I've ALWAYS made A's on my essays...I actually know some high up ppl in the college so I might be able to do something about her...it's good to know and be friends with ppl higher up than the ppl you're working with...you can control them (the ppl u work 4) in a way...that's what I did in middle school and high school...I was friends with the principle and dicipline guy and assistant prinicples and other ppl with athority...plus I got ADD and that entitles me to some things that I may not really need but I take advantage of them cause it makes my life that much easier...MUHAHAHAHA...oh boy....I got off track...it's late and I'm tired cause I've been working all day on this stoopid essay...ummm...what was I talkin about??? OH YES...I think I understand all this stuff about 3rd person and present tense stuff now...thanx...hmmm...anyone wanna write this for me??? my hand is still about to break off from writing that last essay for her...plus I injured my fingers while bowling...I think they're about to break off as well...no takers??? Darn...well...I think I'll just start tomorrow...ummmm...after the Mid-South Fair....at least it's about 400 words LESS than my last essay...last one was 900+ now it's just over 500...that'll help...well I'm gonna stop talking and press Submit Reply before think up of other stuff to type about...THANX
C'YA ?:-D

Mr. Moe

..you are in college and you don't know how to write third person/present tense? Not meaning to insult or anything, I just find it interesting. Although i like your use of the triple period, I use it all the time (check my posts heh). If it's only 500 words it shouldn't be too hard, and good luck, and don't worry about your grades to much, professors will be alot harder on you then teachers..and unless you are going for a masters or ph.d just make sure you pass (I'm still in high school, just passing on advice that I have been given (if it's wrong then..well..sorry)

EeOh1

Mr. Moe makes valid points. I, for one, am not completely convinced you're in college. That's definately not an insult; I just have problems in completely believing in people I don't know without a shrivle of, eh, "evidence" to prove it.

To each his own...

I also love the triple period...I used to use tons. But then I broke up with a girlfriend, and then she'd habitually use my trademark triple period whenever we talked online...so I stopped.

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Mephisto2

The "triple period" is more correctly known as the elipsis.

A very over-used stylistic punctuation mark...

Hehe

Mr Mephisto

Metallica_Band

I've always used it for some reason...I don't know why

hunnychile

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"I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

JadziaDax

I am not quite convinced either. And take a look at the evidence:
High school teachers are known for "fluffing" grades (in the end, giving better grades than deserved or grading the entire class on a curve). But beyond that, if you have no clue what 3rd person is in an essay, can't spell the words principal or discipline, and think that they really care if you have ADD in college (or in the workforce), then you need a slap of reality. Knowing "higher-ups" won't get you anywhere if you constantly go to them for every petty detail (and getting a low grade on a freshman college essay is beyond petty).

Maybe, as a thought, you should spend less time on the Internet and more time working on your assignments. (Like I said, it was just a thought.)

Metallica_Band

Ummm...I don't give a crap about the proper way to spell on the internet...I abbreviate...If I don't know how to spell a word I just type it to make it readalbe and understandable...I had some crappy English teachers in grade school...and the last 2 years of high school we just did literature stuff...no writing stuff...so there are a few things that I gotta learn myself...and if ppl are gonna bitch about my lack of certain knowlege in certain areas then that's just plain mean...it's not my fault that most of my English teachers didn't teach what most English teachers teach...most of the time we did literature stuff and watched movies

I know how to write...I have gotten all A's on my essays...except for this one...she's picky as hell...I don't think ANYONE passed it...so we all had to do it again...my typing does NOT represent how I can properly write and spell offline...I am the best when it comes to spelling...most of the time my first guess is correct...I just don't care if I get some wrong by mistake or just cause I don't know them when I type on the internet...I just make it so it's readable and understandable...I abbreviate a lot too sometimes...so quit pickin on me about how I type

sipsake

Does anyone remember if SchoolHouse Rocks had a song about this?

You might also want to pick up a book called "The Transitive Vampire." It's a great resource for grammar.

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When life hands you a lemon, say "Oh yeah, I like lemons. What else you got?"

Henry Rollins

Redlemon

I also recommend "Woe is I" by Patricia O'Conner.

sipsake

I know it probably seems picky, but in your professor's defense, knowing the difference between first, second and third person is pretty basic stuff. I don't think it's unreasonable for a college professor to expect her students to be able to perform at a certain acceptable level.

Does you college offer a course in remedial composition? It might fulfill your core requirements and get you up to speed.

__________________
When life hands you a lemon, say "Oh yeah, I like lemons. What else you got?"

Henry Rollins

Cynthetiq

*** I'm not going to reply because I won't say anything nice ***

Okay, I'll try to make it nice.

MB, you need to get a grip. You've admitted your shortcomings but you still need to face up to them and work on them. If your short coming is how well you write, then practice. Practice them where ever you can, including yes, here on the internet. Care about how you write, care about how you spell and compose. Like any subject, you'll need to go over the fundamentals before you go to the expert items.

if you truly care about this then you won't be lamenting on some forum, but actually reading a book, website, tutor, that will help you get it down instead of demanding that people here help you fix it. It's your problem, it's yours to fix, not mine.

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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Kadath

See, this is what's wrong with schools today. You should NOT be able to get to college getting all As on essay not knowing first/second/third or past/present/future. Further, why is a college professor having to test such fundamental things as parts of speech?! At this point in your writing career you should be able to do that stuff without even trying. I'm not on you about spelling or typos. I certainly agree that this is just the internet, and I'm not going to hold you to the same standard as I would in an essay, but you lack basic knowledge that a fourth grader should possess. That is unacceptable. What is the name of this class, and the number(ie, english 203 or whatever)? Is this a four year college? And redravin, please don't edit me. I'm not trying to slight this person. I want to know how he came to this point in his life.

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Cynthetiq

I don't read it as a flame.

I agree with the foundation problem. If you were in college level algebra and didn't understand what X and Y were then it's akin to the same type of problem.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

JohnnyRock

It really does take work to become a good--even if not great--writer. I write professionally and still have to work on my basics every day [and I don't practice while on the Net at all...this is all for fun]. I came from the NYC public schools and had the same problems as MB.with some of the basics...but with hard work, patience and practice I have impoved. You just have to realize the importance of being able to communicate with others in writing, then work on it. Good luck with the essay!

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Not only do I not know the answer...I don't even know what the question is!!!

Metallica_Band

YES YES YES...I KNOW what 1st, 2nd, & 3rd person is...what I DON';T/DIDN'T know was, in my case, ALL the words that are considered third person...I didn't know all the correct words I could use...I knew most of them I think...my question was basically to just add any that I may have forgoten...but ppl here bitched about it for some reason...if you give me a sentence I would be able to tell you which POV it was in...I just didn't know all the words I could use that's all

Cynthetiq

well then.. thanks for clearing up what you are looking for...

my suggestion if you want ALL the words ... get a dictionary, because that's where ALL of them are listed.

Oh... you want someone to do the work for you.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.