Fic Pet Peeve Inquiry

[elleflies]

So, I keep seeing this phrase pop up in fics over and over and over again. It always goes something like" "so and so was sat in the chair at the table." Now, personally, that doesn't sound right to me. I keep thinking that for it to be grammatically correct it should read something like "so and so was sitting in the chair at the table."

Am I crazy for thinking it's a bit off? It's just that I keep seeing that particular turn of phrase, the sat vs. sitting, everywhere.

I think I've got a pretty good grasp of grammar, for someone who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and hasn't taken an English class in God knows when... but please, enlighten me. Am I crazy or am I actually acting crazy for a valid reason?

Comments

[mialicia.livejournal.com]

You are def. NOT crazy because that doesn't sound right to me at all--and I've taken plenty of English classes lol. I've actually never seen that phrase before but I'm pretty sure it's really wrong haha

[elrina753.livejournal.com]

I wish I could say I've never run across it before. Alas, I've run across it so many times its hit the Top Ten Fanfic Pet Peeves.

It drives me batty. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one scratching their heads over it *g*

[mialicia.livejournal.com]

That is really strange lol. It's like a virus of words is spreading!

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

The correct phrasing should be

so and so sat in the chair at the table

Was is incorrect in that first example.

[elrina753.livejournal.com]

Thank You Thank You Thank You!

It's been popping up more and more and every time I see it (in halfway decent fics!) I get thrown out of what I was reading and I sit there and just mentally rewrite the sentence and brood over how much I hate that particular phrasing.

[aesvir.livejournal.com]

I definitely think it is off. You can have "so and so sat at the table" or the "so and so were seated at the table by the waiter." But "was sat" doesn't sound right.

[elrina753.livejournal.com]

It's been driving me NUTS

I just want to sit people down and LECTURE on grammer and beta readers and that just because everyone else does it doesn't mean you do it to... and then I realize I'm turning into my mother.

BUT SOMEONE ON THE INTERNET IS WRONG!