Page 2 of What is the past tense of the word. . . . . . .

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RE: What is the past tense of the word. . . . . . .

HD462 (Elite) posted this on Monday, 26th January 2009, 16:07

Quote:
So when talking in an accounting sense and the client says

"we will contra what we owe them with what they owe us and pay them a cheque for the balance"

If I was to ask him a week later he should use a different past tense term to describe the transaction ie "we offset what we owed them . . . . . . "


I would think "contra" would stay the same but the words around it would change tense, such as this, if talking a week later:

"we would contra what we owed them with what they owed us and pay them a cheque for the balance"




RE: What is the past tense of the word. . . . . . .

Fowler9 (Elite) posted this on Monday, 26th January 2009, 17:28

Quote:
"we would contra what we owed them with what they owed us and pay them a cheque for the balance"


Thats not past tense though.
That`s future tense - telling what they would do in the event of the situation arising



To say it in past tense and not change the word [IMO] sounds slightly wrong (and the verbal habbit is to stick a "d" on the end of contra anyways)

Q - so what did you do with the balance

"We contra what we owed them with what they owed us and then we sent them a cheque for the balance"

(as opposed to asking what they are about to do where it read "we will contra what we owe them against what they owe us and then send them a cheque for the balance")

Bowf - Word does not recognise "contrad" as a word so that isnt the answer.
Whilst I haven`t tried it "Contraed" i doubt would work either
And I didn`t think that contra`d was right for the reasons you put, just thought i`d stick it out there as a starting point




YNWA
A.C.C
"Clarkson you infantile pillock" - J May, Top Gear, 9/11/2008

This item was edited on Monday, 26th January 2009, 17:32

RE: What is the past tense of the word. . . . . . .

Mikeonfreeserve (Elite) posted this on Monday, 26th January 2009, 18:46

Negate should do the trick

next please

RE: What is the past tense of the word. . . . . . .

Fowler9 (Elite) posted this on Monday, 26th January 2009, 19:36

nah, i;d prefer using offset if there is no past tense for contra

YNWA
A.C.C
"Clarkson you infantile pillock" - J May, Top Gear, 9/11/2008

RE: What is the past tense of the word. . . . . . .

sj (Elite) posted this on Monday, 26th January 2009, 19:53

Quote:
Thats not past tense though.
That`s future tense - telling what they would do in the event of the situation arising
In that context it is past - I think it is past perfect(?) eg "What did you do when XX happened?"
"Oh, we would contra what we owed.." etc. - past.
Interesting though, if it is a word surely it can be spelt? Or spelled.... ;)

Anyone know a phrase that can be said verbally but not written down?.....

Ste



We will pay the price but we will not count the cost..

RE: What is the past tense of the word. . . . . . .

Fowler9 (Elite) posted this on Tuesday, 27th January 2009, 11:39

I`d only say

"we would ........"

if someone asked me

"what would you do"

ergo a hypothetial, future tense type answer


In response to a "what did you do" question I would say "we did" or something of that ilk


Not to say you are wrong on the tense thing, I only remember past perfect and plu perfect from being taught GCSE French so I can`t even remember what the hell they are meant to distinguish lol


YNWA
A.C.C
"Clarkson you infantile pillock" - J May, Top Gear, 9/11/2008

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