Why is the past tense used here instead of the present tense?
It should make one focused.
Why can you use this sentence? I thought word make can only be used with the present tense like this:
It should make one focus.
Can you please explain?
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
You’ve misunderstood the analysis of both: those are not past tense and present tense at all — neither of them.
Past Participle
This one:
It should make one focused.
Is not a verb but a past participle serving as an adjective, as in:
It should make one drunk.
So focused and drunk are past participles, not past tenses.
Infinitive
And this one:
It should make one focus.
Is not a present tense finite verb but rather an infinitive, as in
It should make one be quiet.
So focus and be are infinitives, not present tense.
