English grammar help needed

[advanturous]

OK, I am unsure about a specific grammar point and cannot find any other source. So, please help! Which is correct: 1) You are a writer who has discovered that his editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (Assuming that you are male, of course). Or 2) You are a writer who has discovered that your editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book.

I can find a way around the problem, for example "You are a writer and have discovered that your editor...", but I really need to understand the structure of the above sentence.

Many thanks in advance. advanturous

[MANH NGUYEN]

1) You are a writer who has discovered that his editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book.

Consistent or agreeable! So, this sentence is perfect.

[chickendog]

Advanturous, the second sentence is correct. The word "who" also mean "you", not someone else. Therefore, it makes sense to use "your" instead of "his."

"You are a writer who has discovered that your editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book."

[HiHucCaoGio]

OK, I am unsure about a specific grammar point and cannot find any other source. So, please help! Which is correct: 1) You are a writer who has discovered that his editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (Assuming that you are male, of course). Or 2) You are a writer who has discovered that your editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book.

I can find a way around the problem, for example "You are a writer and have discovered that your editor...", but I really need to understand the structure of the above sentence.

Many thanks in advance. advanturous

Both sentences are incorrect due to the confusing treatments of the subjects references. The subject should be treated as a "second person" or a "third person" -- not a mixture of both. They should have been written as followed:


The subject as a third person:

1) He is a writer who has discovered that his editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book.


The subject as a second person:

2) You are a writer who have discovered that your editor has mangled the grammar in a newly published book.



Actually, one more correction:

1) He is a writer who has discovered that his editor had mangled the grammar in a newly published book.

2) You are a writer who have discovered that your editor had mangled the grammar in a newly published book.


Just my 2 cents.

[Green]

1) He is a writer who has discovered that his editor had mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (present perfect/past perfect)

May I make the suggestion about sentence#1:

1A) He is a writer who has discovered that his editor mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (present perfect/past tense)
or
1B) He is a writer who discovered that his editor had mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (past tense/past perfect)
"past perfect: tense used in a sentence that already has a verb in the simple past tense, to express an action that happened even earlier..."
A Guide to Perfect Usage Grammar Smart 2nd edition, page 152

[HiHucCaoGio]

1) He is a writer who has discovered that his editor had mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (present perfect/past perfect)

May I make the suggestion about sentence#1:

1A) He is a writer who has discovered that his editor mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (present perfect/past tense)
or
1B) He is a writer who discovered that his editor had mangled the grammar in a newly published book. (past tense/past perfect)
"past perfect: tense used in a sentence that already has a verb in the simple past tense, to express an action that happened even earlier..."
A Guide to Perfect Usage Grammar Smart 2nd edition, page 152

Mèng, bắt chước ai đó nói chữ: lạy hồn

According to the original sentence, the editor mangled the book before the author discovered the action. Therefore, using past perfect "had mangled" and present perfect "has discovered" are correct. You could change the present perfect tense to simple past tense "have discovered" to "discovered" if you wished. The sentence is still grammatically correct. However, the meaning of the whole sentence will be altered. Why would you want to change the writer's intentions?

Please review your grammar usages about present perfect, simple past as well as past perfect in ANY decent reference book for more details.

[Green]

HHCG,
The writer's original sentence used present perfect tense for both verbs discover and mangle is grammatically correct. I should respect the writer's intention. Sorry about that.

You are right, I can also use both verbs in simple past tense. Thanks

Here is the definition of present perfect, page 153
" present perfect: tense used to express action that started in the past and continues into the present, or was finished at some earlier time but still affects the present situation..."

[HiHucCaoGio]

HHCG,
The writer's original sentence used present perfect tense for both verbs discover and mangle is grammatically correct. I should respect the writer's intention. Sorry about that.

You are right, I can also use both verbs in simple past tense. Thanks

Here is the definition of present perfect, page 153
" present perfect: tense used to express action that started in the past and continues into the present, or was finished at some earlier time but still affects the present situation..."

Green

It's nice that you've looked up the grammar usage on your own. I bet you will never forget it from now on -- a very effective way to learn. This area of grammar, though simple, is very often asked in multiple choices exams as the test writers can write many similar questions with just a few words/letters subtly changed, causing a lots of confusions to the uninitiated. Paying attention to a few key details, you can recognize these trick questions easily.