Sentence 003 Let the cat out of the bag
Leslie: Which of the three Sentences is incorrect?
Flora: ’It rained a lot this season.’
L: Why?
F: Because there is a Time Marker in the Sentence: ’this season’ and it is Non-Past. The Sentence is ’It rained a lot this season.’ and it is Past Simple Tense. The Time and Tense don’t agree.
L: You are right. The Time is Non-Past and it is manifest, i. e. it is clear to see or understand through the Time Marker. The Time makes the Tense and Non-Past Time can only make Non-Past Tense. Is this Sentence the worst?
F: No. There is an even worse Sentence here and it is ’It raining a lot this season.’
L: Why is it worse than the previous Sentence?
F: Because it is not a Sentence.
L: Why do you think so?
F: Because it has no Verb. ’Raining’ is not a Verb. If there is no Verb, there is no Sentence.
L: Then, we have found the correct Sentence. Can you help me?
F: Yes, and it is ’It has rained a lot this season.’
L: Fine.