0

Is this sentence correct?

"I wracked my brain, trying to put the timeline together. Just minutes before she’d died, Lara had gone to the flower shop down the road."

Or just it be: "I wracked my brain, trying to put the timeline together. Just minutes before she died, Lara had gone to the flower shop down the road."

Thank you for your help!

1 Answer 1

1

Use died. Two clauses with verbs in the pluperfect (past perfect) make the sentence confusing. Incidentally, the expression is to wrack one's brains, not braining.

3
  • Haha! I added "I wracked my brain" to give context to the sentence, but thank you for pointing out the error! And thank you for the answer.
    – G.S.
    Commented Sep 21, 2015 at 22:02
  • If we're issuing corrections, the expression is I racked my brain. The OED lists four verbs to wrack, but three are marked as obsolete and the fourth as "archaic or dialect".
    – Colin Fine
    Commented Sep 21, 2015 at 22:08
  • To brain someone would be to remove or damage their brains, or to attack their head as if you were attempting to do so. "As the sentry passed, George brained him with a large rock."
    – keshlam
    Commented Sep 21, 2015 at 22:54

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.