Monday, January 18, 2010

Monday Morning Ponderings

So here's a question for you. I consider myself fairly well educated and can most often compose grammatically correct sentences. BUT! There is currently a friendly debate waging as to the correctness (yeah, I'm smart but I have no idea if that is a word???) of the following statement.

"Have you already drunk that?"

or should it be

"Have you already drank that?"

Any English majors out there who can help a girl out? My cocky little self thought she knew the answer but now she's not so sure. I would also love the present/past tense rule to defend the answer. I've tried google but can't find a clear answer quickly. And while you are at it, how about the rules for using "who" and "whom"?

Help??? Anyone???

24 comments:

  1. I will simply say I have no idea! You should ask my sis...she majored in English! And she's constantly correcting me, so she should be able to help:) LOL! go over to her blog...http://toniasuzanne.blogspot.com

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  2. Ha,ha being Dutch I have no clue ;)have trouble with my own language enough ;)
    How is your study going?
    Hugs,Jeanet

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  3. I myself say have you drank that...but now you have me really curious....I am off to google it!!!

    Miss you girlie...hope you had a great weekend...call when you can!!!

    Love ya!!

    J

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  4. Hmmmm, I am thinking drank, but I dont have a rule at hand so I am nervous even saying it now Lol! But I know for sure that "whom" is used with a prepositional phrase i.e. "to whom" "with whom" "about whom" and who is used when it is not a prepositional phrase i.e. "Who is that?" I wasn't an English major (more of a liberal studies major) but writing was a BIG part of my studies and I was shocked to learn that I entered college with no understanding of passive voice. I later edited a law journal and was again shocked to discover that many college graduates did not even know they were writing in the passive voice!

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  5. I have enough problem with my native language (french) and my english is so so! I though we would use ''drunk'' as in the expression: he/she is drunk! And I would use drank for past sentence. Like I drank a glass of water.

    I would use ''whom'' when I would question as to: To whom this ring belongs too?

    and the who: Who do you think...bla, bla,bla.

    I hope it helps! hi,hi!

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  6. Well, I say, "Have you already drank that?"
    :) But, to each his/her own! Lol!!

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  7. I'm going with 'drank' too... but, I'll ask my mom... the English major.

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  8. I say drank... unless I'm drunk. :-)

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  9. Can I blame not knowing the answer on the fact that I'm Canadian :D :D :D
    I'll be checking in often to see if you ever get the right answer.
    Have a wonderful week!
    BTW, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Deana's answer LOL

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  10. I would say drank. Hmmmmm

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  11. u crack me up!!! I'd say drank....but hehehehehehehehe to deana's answer!! LOL! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

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  12. As the family grammar police I say it's drank. http://www.drgrammar.org/faqs/#79

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  13. i think the answer is drank... i could be wrong tho. LOL.

    i'm usually a grammar nut myself too, but when it comes to those types of things... seriously, i get screwed! LOL. ;)

    therefore, i can't help you with the "who" and "whom" ordeal either. ;)

    hugs,
    sarah.

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  14. No clue on what's correct but I would say drank! lol

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  15. Well....between the two options, I would say 'drank'. But, since I'm a wordy gal, I would probably say something along the lines of "Have you already had that to drink?" or "Is that something you have had to drink before?" or "Did you already drink that?". But, that's just me and probably not really what you asked!! :> And no, I don't have a rule to quote. :>

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  16. it's drank. You get drunk lol! But, I am not sure I just teach first grade haha! I miss you how have you been? I am soooo ready for Kendall to make her appearance, however, I don't want to her to come early believe me! Here due date is perfect for me:) Hope your doing well and enjoying the new year!!! love ya Christy

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  17. Okay, I'm going with "drank" because I think drunk is an adjective, not a verb...

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  18. I would say drunk...I would use drank in a statement but not a question..as in "she drank all that"..."has she drunk all that?" again I'm no expert only O'level english language but it just sounds right!!!

    I am so glad to be able to leave a comment, Lisa...the last post wouldn't let me!!

    Have a good day! xx

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  19. Lisa you were exactly right. They told me it was a flea bite and his skin was to sensitive. He doesnt have any fleas and he is on oral pill for fleas starts with a C. I find it strange, as he is 5 years old and has never had this problem before and he got fleas really bad a few years ago and nothing. They told me the fleas were "living in the house" I just can not see them. Only I have 95% hardwoods with the exception of Blakes carpet. I dont know.

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  20. Drunk is the past participle of drink... a past participle is the form of a verb, typically ending in 'ed' that is used in forming perfect and passive tenses and sometimes as an adjective.

    If you were to replace drunk in the sentence with an adjective, it would not read correctly... example... "Have you already pretty that?" lol. I'm a little fuzzy on the perfect and passive tenses.

    I totally agree with Karen, and think the sentence should be, "Did you already drink that?" I think you would use drank when you are talking about something that you did... or telling about someone... ex, "I drank all the beer" or "Susan drank all the beer". I don't think drank sounds right in question form... does that make sense?

    BTW, I'm not an english major, but an art major, lol!

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  21. Well, I would say "drank" but I;m no English grammar expert! I do know however that our neighbors used "whomever" instead of "whoever" in a neighborhood letter complaining about the person that drove up on their lawn last week to avoid the potholes on our road!! I don't think that was appropriate either. Oh and they addressed the letter to the "residence of our street" instead of the "residents", go figure.....

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  22. This post just totally cracks me up...& I have no IDEA of the correct grammar, so no help from me! Hope all is well...miss ya!

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  23. I was always a good English student and my instinct says drank but I am really questioning it now. Hope all is well by you.

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  24. Not a clue but I would probably use drank...I have a psych degree about as far from an English degree as you can get! Looking forward to finding out the correct answer!

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