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Shana
Hi! Is it right to use the simple present tense for the verb 'experience' here?
The story follows a talented college girl who, despite wining multiple scholarships and having strong writing skills, eventually __experiences__ a mental breakdown.
2025년 5월 20일 오전 11:28
답변 · 9
2
Yes. It's correct. When relating the plot of a book, film, TV show, etc. present simple is generally used.
2025년 5월 20일 오후 12:45
Your sentence is correct. Notice that it's just consistent: "The story 'follows'... eventually 'experiences'..."
As has already been mentioned by someone else, this is what's called a "literary present" which is when the present tense is used in literary contexts like: summarize plots or events in stories, books, films, biographies, etc.
2025년 5월 22일 오전 12:19
Yes. Stripped of all its adjectives and subordinate clauses the sentence is
"The story follows a girl who eventually experiences a mental breakdown."
and that sounds perfect. Present tense can be used for present, future, and timeless events:
"I see a dog" (present)
"Tomorrow I see a dog" (future, because of "tomorrow")
"Sometimes I see a dog" (timeless)
For your sentence, you have many other choices:
"The story follows a girl who eventually will experience a mental breakdown."
"The story follows a girl who eventually experienced a mental breakdown."
"The story follows a girl who could eventually experience a mental breakdown."
All are correct, but Simple Present would be the default unless you had some reason for saying it a different way.
2025년 5월 20일 오후 11:13
커뮤니티 가이드라인을 위반한 콘텐츠입니다.
2025년 5월 20일 오후 1:10
커뮤니티 가이드라인을 위반한 콘텐츠입니다.
2025년 5월 20일 오후 12:17
아직도 답을 찾지 못하셨나요?
질문을 남겨보세요. 원어민이 도움을 줄 수 있을 거예요!
Shana
언어 구사 능력
중국어(북경어), 중국어(광동어), 영어, 일본어
학습 언어
영어, 일본어
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