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Tracy Elina
A: How did the accident happen?
B: I think I might have been driving too fast.
C: I think I drove too fast.
Is B right or C right? Why?
Feb 20, 2022 2:05 PM
Answers Ā· 6
1
D I was driving too fast.
February 20, 2022
Hi Tracy š¤
Sentence āBā is correct (āI think I might have been driving too fastā). Sentence āCā is in the āpast tenseā, and sentence āBā uses the āpast participleā.
So why āBā and not āCā? As a native speaker, when I read this dialogue, sentence āBā sounds much more natural.
We should choose the āpast participleā option when we are talking about a past event that can be linked to another time (usually the present).
In your example, the two people are probably talking about all aspects of this car accident (including āpresentā consequences from the accident such as current injuries, car damage, dealing with car insurance, etc.). Even though the āfast drivingā is finished, the āfast drivingā is now linked to present circumstances.
I hope this helped š¤š
Nicky Ann
February 20, 2022
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February 20, 2022
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Tracy Elina
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Spanish
Learning Language
English, French, Spanish
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