HelpQA Tags Search FAQ
Start a New Post Chat Login & Registration
X3w8w
Helper
last online: 07/18, 15:51
Verified User (6 years, 8 months)
Long Term User
Shoutout0

Grammar question!

When you are talking about e.g. What's your longest ever car trip? , should it be , what IS , or what WAS ?

Thanks!

This open post was written |
Views: 34, Subscribers: 4 |
Leave a reply | Report Post

⇩ Zoom to bottom
Reciprocity (0)
Reciprocity
Since writing this post Helper may have helped people, but has not within the last four (4) days.
Post Tags (5)
question, talking, car, longest, trip
Replies (7)
Roccoflip
Rockster160
last online: <time class="timeago" datetime="1728142596" title="Oct 5, 2024 15:36">Oct 5, 2024 15:36</time>
Help-QA Admin
Verified User (7 years, 1 week)
Long Term User
Shoutout0
#
(26 minutes after post)
Quote this reply Report this reply to moderators

What WAS is correct. Further: “*What’s* your longest ever car trip?” itself is incorrect as well in the first place.

Electric
BA1
last online: 01/25, 20:20
Verified User (6 years, 11 months)
Long Term User
Shoutout0
#
(1 hour after post)
Quote this reply Report this reply to moderators

Your question is postulated in the present-tense but intended in the past-tense form.

What's your longest ever car trip?

Is there a longest "ever?" What do you measure it with? Consider where "ever" should be placed within the sentence. Is it needed to clarify the question?
Also, when formally writing, you do not contract words.

Example 1.
"What's" is a contraction of "What is." This question is posed if the person is currently undertaking a car trip.

Example 2.
"What was," is a question based on formerly established events.

The true form of your question should look like this: "What was your longest car trip, ever?"

X3w8w
Original Poster
Helper
last online: 07/18, 15:51
Verified User (6 years, 8 months)
Long Term User
Shoutout0
#
(5 hours after post)
Quote this reply Report this reply to moderators

Oh really? Thanks so much!

But many people use "what's/What is" your longest car trip ever

I found several posts online that did that , some posts even put "what is/was your abcde ever ?", I suppose it's a mistake that many people make mistaking that they are refering to a present context but in fact they are really talking about a past event? ^^

Helpcomanimatedyetiwithdot256
𝕐ͤͭͥ̇𝕖𝕥𝕚。(Yeti.)
last online: 06/22, 14:37
Verified User (6 years, 9 months)
Long Term User
Shoutout0
#
(6 hours after post)
Quote this reply Report this reply to moderators

Same internet which cannot tell the difference between "your" and "you're"?

Help me with:

[quote]Test.[/quote]

Electric
BA1
last online: 01/25, 20:20
Verified User (6 years, 11 months)
Long Term User
Shoutout0
#
(8 hours after post)
Quote this reply Report this reply to moderators

Helper wrote:
I suppose it's a mistake many people make mistaking that they are refering to a present context but in fact they are really talking about a past event?

We are no longer a refined people.

If I ask you, "What IS the longest you have held your breath," I'm not just asking you about your past - a question in this form speculates you are (or about) to hold your breath (again).

If I ask you, "What WAS the longest you have held your breath," it infers no context to the present - it is a question, specifically, about your past regardless of the current moment.

These hair-splitting differences are no longer given regard today.

A court of law regards our common language as "Babble Speak." It is viewed as vulgar and is the primary reason it should be represented by legal council.

Fern
Fern
last online: 10/22, 23:26
Verified User (6 years, 10 months)
Long Term User
Shoutout0
#
(11 hours after post)
Quote this reply Report this reply to moderators

This example is past tense. "What is" is incorrect in this insistence.

X3w8w
Original Poster
Helper
last online: 07/18, 15:51
Verified User (6 years, 8 months)
Long Term User
Shoutout0
#
(3 days after post)
Quote this reply Report this reply to moderators

Thank you for all of your help ! :)

A
⇧ Zoom to top

Help-QA supports basic Markdown, emoji 😁, and tagging friends with @username!

To use this site you must be 13 years or older and occasionally submit your email address. Your email address is only shared with your explicit permission.

Home Page - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Feedback