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Which of these two statements is grammatically correct?

1) I wish you were here holding me tight against you, telling me you loved me.

2) I wish you were here holding me tight against you, telling me you love me.

The word we are looking at here is "love" or "loved". I personally think that both are grammatically correct, but wanted a couple of different opinions.

For a simple "test" I typed both sentences into Microsoft Word and there was no "grammatical error" underlining (hope you know what I mean by the underlining, I can't think of any other way to explain it!).

Cheers for any feedback :-D

Update:

john n and some others - The reason the first sentence uses "love" in a past tense is because the sentence is wishful thinking and therefore hypothetical. "I wish you WERE here". Were is past tense, and as butterfly explained, "Generally, the tenses should be consistent throughout the text". This doesn't stop the term "love" being used in present tense from also being grammatically correct (I have come to these conclusions after reading through the answers)

anarkali appears to have a half-decent argument, her posts did kinda confuse me. I'm not stupid, but also not an English teacher, so the post including many phrases such as "Imaginative conditional sentences " kinda threw me off.

She also contradicts herself with "I believe the second one is correct" yet posts information that says "Hypothetical events or states are unlikely but possible in the present or future". Option 2 is surely a hypothetical event in the present?

Some very good contributions, thanks.

Update 2:

An addition to my first paragraph of additional information (hope that makes sense lol).

This therefore means that the first sentence is not declaring past love, it is simply staying with the same tense throughout the sentence.

Update 3:

Sorry, more additional info lol. Anarkli states "Hypothetical events or states are unlikely but possible in the present or future."

Surely this proves that both statements are correct? Number 1. is correct as a general rule, and number 2. fits into the "unlikely but possible" category, and therefore also correct.

Now, if only I knew how to close the topic and choose a best answer..... :-s (New guy) lol

13 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    I believe the second one is correct if you wish to state continuous love although I don't remember the grammatical rule...

    Edit: I'm right, I just found the following:

    1. Hypothetical events or states are unlikely but possible in the present or future.

    Imaginative conditional sentences expressing hypothetical events or states have a past tense verb in the if-clause and would + verb (or might or could + verb) in the result clause.

    Examples of hypothetical conditional sentences (present and/or future time):

    If George had enough money, he would buy a new car.

    If I won the lottery, I would buy you a present.

    If she knew the answer, she would tell us.

    (George probably does not have enough money; I probably will not win the lottery; she probably does not know the answer.)

    2. Contrary-to-fact events or states are either impossible in the present time or did not happen in the past.

    Imaginative conditional sentences expressing present contrary-to-fact events or states have a past verb in the if-clause and would + verb (or might or could + verb) in the result clause. Some examples:

    If I were you, I would not do that.

    If she studied for exams, she would get better grades.

    If it were raining, the streets would be wet.

    (I am not you; she doesn’t study for exams; it isn’t raining.)

    Imaginative conditional sentences expressing past contrary-to-fact events or states have a past perfect verb in the if-clause and would + have + verb (or might or could + have + verb) in the result clause. Some examples:

    If George had had enough money, he would have bought a new car.

    If I had won the lottery, I would have bought you a present.

    If she had known the answer, she would have told us.

    (George did not have enough money; I did not win the lottery; she did not know the answer.)

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    They are both grammatically correct. Generally, the tenses should be consistent throughout the text. Eg all past all or present. In this case, the act of 'loving me' is timeless, so you could use either sentence.

    It uses subjunctive mood.

    "The subjunctive mood is used in dependent clauses that do the following: 1) express a wish; 2) begin with if and express a condition that does not exist (is contrary to fact); 3) begin with as if and as though when such clauses describe a speculation or condition contrary to fact; and 4) begin with that and express a demand, requirement, request, or suggestion.

    She wishes her boyfriend were here.

    If Juan were more aggressive, he'd be a better hockey player.

    We would have passed if we had studied harder.

    He acted as if he were guilty.

    I requested that he be present at the hearing."

  • I depends on how you look at the two sentences. The first one has loved, being in the past-tense, meaning that he/she did love you once. The second sentence tells you that he/she loves you in the present-tense. So however you look at it they both are correct in the grammatical sense. It just depends on which sentence applies to you, then you use that sentence as a basis. Hope that helps:)

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    One refers to past tense loved ,love is present tense so both would be correct in the correct context of the situation.

    Source(s): my brain
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  • 1 decade ago

    Loved "sounds" better, but then again, the way we talk typically isn't grammatically correct. I believe you would be find using either statements. It was a good idea, that you typed them into Word. I see why it is confusing deciding which seems correct.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I would tend to think that the second sentence makes more sense. The first sentence uses the verb "love" in the past tense. Why would someone be holding you tightly in the present will professing their love for you in the past tense? If the person loved you in the past why would they be holding you tightly now?

  • 1 decade ago

    Both are grammatically correct, of course.

    The first one, is the person speaking in the present tense. That they love you currently.

    The second, is past tense, telling you that they loved you in the past.

    What you need to figure out, is which one is correct in context, not grammar. :)

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    They may both be correct, but i think that "loved" sounds better.

    Goodness...i had to read that over and over like 15 times before i realized that it was love and loved...but yeah, loved

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    each and every thing different than the order wherein those that could neither be created nor be destroyed exist can in no way get replaced. No. the main suitable grammar i think of is each and every thing different than the order wherein those can neither be created nor be destroyed exist can in no way get replaced. i only bumped off the 2d "which" coz you used 2 which(es) ] you have different blunders there

  • 1 decade ago

    Second.

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