Doubt MGMAT-SC (Problem set- Verb Tenses- Q2)

[rohitowe99]

The question asks to identify the incorrect tenses used in the statement:

Because Cole wears a helmet when he struck on the head by a falling coconut ten years
ago, he has escaped serious injury in that episode.

My answer: Because Cole wore a helmet when he was struck on head by a falling coconut ten years ago, he escaped serious injury in that episode.

Doubt: It's clear from the question itself that we are talking about the precise moment when the coconut fell on Cole's head. So in this case instead of using "Because Cole was wearing a helmet, cant we simply use "Because Cole wore a helmet".

Probable reason: Cole was wearing the helmet even before the coconut fell and that's why we use "Cole was wearing..". But isn't this an assumption that we are making.

[tim]

It is not clear at all that your interpretation is correct. That is precisely the problem with your answer - because it uses two instances of regular past tense, the sequence is not clear grammatically. In fact, when I read a sentence similar to yours, my natural inclination is to read it as though he got hit on the head, then immediately put on a helmet, and that's what allowed him to escape further injury. Do you see how this creates a totally different picture from what you intended? That's why you can't use the verb you used.

[rohitowe99]

Thanks Tim.

[jlucero]

Glad it helped.