Why do you use “to ever happen” and not “that ever happened”? Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)have worked vs had worked“She laughed as though there (was/were) a chance he might have said anything else.”Relative and demonstrative pronouns “that” and “those”I never thought“I was honored to have known him” grammarCan 'about' and 'in' be put together?News reporting in EnglishWhat are the advantages of having different word forms for different tenses?late on Monday night/ on late Monday night?Is it acceptable to use “to ever happen” in future time, like “I don't want this to ever happen”
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Why do you use “to ever happen” and not “that ever happened”?
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)have worked vs had worked“She laughed as though there (was/were) a chance he might have said anything else.”Relative and demonstrative pronouns “that” and “those”I never thought“I was honored to have known him” grammarCan 'about' and 'in' be put together?News reporting in EnglishWhat are the advantages of having different word forms for different tenses?late on Monday night/ on late Monday night?Is it acceptable to use “to ever happen” in future time, like “I don't want this to ever happen”
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Is there a rule for this I can learn? We read a text yesterday, and the sentence contained the phrase "the biggest disaster to ever happen". The full sentence was:
"The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
Why do we not say "The biggest disaster that ever happened" if it was in the past? Is there a difference between the two?
Thank you.
grammar differences
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
add a comment |
Is there a rule for this I can learn? We read a text yesterday, and the sentence contained the phrase "the biggest disaster to ever happen". The full sentence was:
"The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
Why do we not say "The biggest disaster that ever happened" if it was in the past? Is there a difference between the two?
Thank you.
grammar differences
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
1
Was "the biggest disaster to ever happen" the full sentence? It sounds like there should be a context/qualifier i.e. "the biggest disaster to ever happen in the age of steam" or "the biggest disaster to ever happen in a generation".
– Pam
Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
I'm sure there's a previous thread comparing/contrasting the choice between to-infinitival and that-clause as used here.
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 21 '18 at 10:47
1
is this the historical present tense?
– WendyG
Mar 21 '18 at 12:45
1
Sorry for not being totally clear. The complete sentence was "The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
– Tan
Mar 21 '18 at 13:43
1
In that case the favourite would prolly be "ever to happen" but it's a style choice. There's no clear rule but did you notice, almost no-one ever used "biggest" there? Can you find a case where anyone chose "biggest" and not, for instance, "greatest"? Anyway, since you are talking about one of the greatest disasters ever, what did you hope to compare to it? Don’t you think any kind of “biggest” must by definition be the exception that proves whatever rule? Isn’t that part of what “biggest” means? I'd prefer "greatest" and so what?
– Robbie Goodwin
Apr 4 '18 at 22:00
add a comment |
Is there a rule for this I can learn? We read a text yesterday, and the sentence contained the phrase "the biggest disaster to ever happen". The full sentence was:
"The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
Why do we not say "The biggest disaster that ever happened" if it was in the past? Is there a difference between the two?
Thank you.
grammar differences
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
Is there a rule for this I can learn? We read a text yesterday, and the sentence contained the phrase "the biggest disaster to ever happen". The full sentence was:
"The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
Why do we not say "The biggest disaster that ever happened" if it was in the past? Is there a difference between the two?
Thank you.
grammar differences
grammar differences
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
edited 6 hours ago
TrevorD
10.7k22558
10.7k22558
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
asked Mar 21 '18 at 9:55
TanTan
92
92
1
Was "the biggest disaster to ever happen" the full sentence? It sounds like there should be a context/qualifier i.e. "the biggest disaster to ever happen in the age of steam" or "the biggest disaster to ever happen in a generation".
– Pam
Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
I'm sure there's a previous thread comparing/contrasting the choice between to-infinitival and that-clause as used here.
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 21 '18 at 10:47
1
is this the historical present tense?
– WendyG
Mar 21 '18 at 12:45
1
Sorry for not being totally clear. The complete sentence was "The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
– Tan
Mar 21 '18 at 13:43
1
In that case the favourite would prolly be "ever to happen" but it's a style choice. There's no clear rule but did you notice, almost no-one ever used "biggest" there? Can you find a case where anyone chose "biggest" and not, for instance, "greatest"? Anyway, since you are talking about one of the greatest disasters ever, what did you hope to compare to it? Don’t you think any kind of “biggest” must by definition be the exception that proves whatever rule? Isn’t that part of what “biggest” means? I'd prefer "greatest" and so what?
– Robbie Goodwin
Apr 4 '18 at 22:00
add a comment |
1
Was "the biggest disaster to ever happen" the full sentence? It sounds like there should be a context/qualifier i.e. "the biggest disaster to ever happen in the age of steam" or "the biggest disaster to ever happen in a generation".
– Pam
Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
I'm sure there's a previous thread comparing/contrasting the choice between to-infinitival and that-clause as used here.
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 21 '18 at 10:47
1
is this the historical present tense?
– WendyG
Mar 21 '18 at 12:45
1
Sorry for not being totally clear. The complete sentence was "The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
– Tan
Mar 21 '18 at 13:43
1
In that case the favourite would prolly be "ever to happen" but it's a style choice. There's no clear rule but did you notice, almost no-one ever used "biggest" there? Can you find a case where anyone chose "biggest" and not, for instance, "greatest"? Anyway, since you are talking about one of the greatest disasters ever, what did you hope to compare to it? Don’t you think any kind of “biggest” must by definition be the exception that proves whatever rule? Isn’t that part of what “biggest” means? I'd prefer "greatest" and so what?
– Robbie Goodwin
Apr 4 '18 at 22:00
1
1
Was "the biggest disaster to ever happen" the full sentence? It sounds like there should be a context/qualifier i.e. "the biggest disaster to ever happen in the age of steam" or "the biggest disaster to ever happen in a generation".
– Pam
Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
Was "the biggest disaster to ever happen" the full sentence? It sounds like there should be a context/qualifier i.e. "the biggest disaster to ever happen in the age of steam" or "the biggest disaster to ever happen in a generation".
– Pam
Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
I'm sure there's a previous thread comparing/contrasting the choice between to-infinitival and that-clause as used here.
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 21 '18 at 10:47
I'm sure there's a previous thread comparing/contrasting the choice between to-infinitival and that-clause as used here.
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 21 '18 at 10:47
1
1
is this the historical present tense?
– WendyG
Mar 21 '18 at 12:45
is this the historical present tense?
– WendyG
Mar 21 '18 at 12:45
1
1
Sorry for not being totally clear. The complete sentence was "The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
– Tan
Mar 21 '18 at 13:43
Sorry for not being totally clear. The complete sentence was "The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
– Tan
Mar 21 '18 at 13:43
1
1
In that case the favourite would prolly be "ever to happen" but it's a style choice. There's no clear rule but did you notice, almost no-one ever used "biggest" there? Can you find a case where anyone chose "biggest" and not, for instance, "greatest"? Anyway, since you are talking about one of the greatest disasters ever, what did you hope to compare to it? Don’t you think any kind of “biggest” must by definition be the exception that proves whatever rule? Isn’t that part of what “biggest” means? I'd prefer "greatest" and so what?
– Robbie Goodwin
Apr 4 '18 at 22:00
In that case the favourite would prolly be "ever to happen" but it's a style choice. There's no clear rule but did you notice, almost no-one ever used "biggest" there? Can you find a case where anyone chose "biggest" and not, for instance, "greatest"? Anyway, since you are talking about one of the greatest disasters ever, what did you hope to compare to it? Don’t you think any kind of “biggest” must by definition be the exception that proves whatever rule? Isn’t that part of what “biggest” means? I'd prefer "greatest" and so what?
– Robbie Goodwin
Apr 4 '18 at 22:00
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Both versions seem alright to me. In the English Corpus (many English books over the years) the phrase that ever happened seems to be used much more than to ever happen.
Consider this ngram comparing the two.
This ngram considers "(*) that ever happened" in which (*) is replaced by other words (the ones which occur the most). It shows thing that ever happened and things that ever happened are more common than to ever happen.
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
1
The modified Ngram works for the negative as well.
– Nigel J
Mar 21 '18 at 13:21
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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votes
Both versions seem alright to me. In the English Corpus (many English books over the years) the phrase that ever happened seems to be used much more than to ever happen.
Consider this ngram comparing the two.
This ngram considers "(*) that ever happened" in which (*) is replaced by other words (the ones which occur the most). It shows thing that ever happened and things that ever happened are more common than to ever happen.
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
1
The modified Ngram works for the negative as well.
– Nigel J
Mar 21 '18 at 13:21
add a comment |
Both versions seem alright to me. In the English Corpus (many English books over the years) the phrase that ever happened seems to be used much more than to ever happen.
Consider this ngram comparing the two.
This ngram considers "(*) that ever happened" in which (*) is replaced by other words (the ones which occur the most). It shows thing that ever happened and things that ever happened are more common than to ever happen.
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
1
The modified Ngram works for the negative as well.
– Nigel J
Mar 21 '18 at 13:21
add a comment |
Both versions seem alright to me. In the English Corpus (many English books over the years) the phrase that ever happened seems to be used much more than to ever happen.
Consider this ngram comparing the two.
This ngram considers "(*) that ever happened" in which (*) is replaced by other words (the ones which occur the most). It shows thing that ever happened and things that ever happened are more common than to ever happen.
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
Both versions seem alright to me. In the English Corpus (many English books over the years) the phrase that ever happened seems to be used much more than to ever happen.
Consider this ngram comparing the two.
This ngram considers "(*) that ever happened" in which (*) is replaced by other words (the ones which occur the most). It shows thing that ever happened and things that ever happened are more common than to ever happen.
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
answered Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
JJJJJJ
6,221102846
6,221102846
1
The modified Ngram works for the negative as well.
– Nigel J
Mar 21 '18 at 13:21
add a comment |
1
The modified Ngram works for the negative as well.
– Nigel J
Mar 21 '18 at 13:21
1
1
The modified Ngram works for the negative as well.
– Nigel J
Mar 21 '18 at 13:21
The modified Ngram works for the negative as well.
– Nigel J
Mar 21 '18 at 13:21
add a comment |
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Was "the biggest disaster to ever happen" the full sentence? It sounds like there should be a context/qualifier i.e. "the biggest disaster to ever happen in the age of steam" or "the biggest disaster to ever happen in a generation".
– Pam
Mar 21 '18 at 10:04
I'm sure there's a previous thread comparing/contrasting the choice between to-infinitival and that-clause as used here.
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 21 '18 at 10:47
1
is this the historical present tense?
– WendyG
Mar 21 '18 at 12:45
1
Sorry for not being totally clear. The complete sentence was "The sinking of the Titanic was one of the biggest maritime disasters to ever happen.."
– Tan
Mar 21 '18 at 13:43
1
In that case the favourite would prolly be "ever to happen" but it's a style choice. There's no clear rule but did you notice, almost no-one ever used "biggest" there? Can you find a case where anyone chose "biggest" and not, for instance, "greatest"? Anyway, since you are talking about one of the greatest disasters ever, what did you hope to compare to it? Don’t you think any kind of “biggest” must by definition be the exception that proves whatever rule? Isn’t that part of what “biggest” means? I'd prefer "greatest" and so what?
– Robbie Goodwin
Apr 4 '18 at 22:00