Help me with my English please

[LAT]

I'd go with bunny's middle option!

[Cenwulf]

By rewriting the key phrase:
childhoods of generations past/passed
which of these makes more sense in the context?

Past generations' childhoods
Passed generations' childhoods

I think that 'past' means all the previous generations, and 'passed' means all the generations except the currently living ones - as surely these are still passing?

[Bunnylump]

If it was me, I'd use

'history is brought to life by the stories told and our children learn about childhoods of past generations."

mainly because the children would, presumably, be the current generation, therefore the old people you have been speaking to would be included in "past" generations. If you put "generations passed" it might imply that the old folk have passed on. Which is a nasty kettle of fish to be in.

And my kitchen floor needs washed too. In fact, it needs washed AND swept but only after I've got rid of six giant boat-sized smelly trainers which are in there and Dib's friends have finished wheeling their oily bikes back through it...

[MBH]

My rule of thumb is that if I need to think about it for more than 5 minutes, I turn it on it's head and rewrite it with different words So many ways we can say things with this language - and some make more sense than others.

The other thing about writing is who you're writing it for. Within the Council they tend to find the most obscure meanings (and problems) with anything other than black and white statements of fact. I've given up trying jokes and puns because they are always taken literally and seriously

[Bunnylump]

What, like when I ask kids "What's the magic word?" and they reply "Er.. Abracadabra?"

[MBH]

LOL - and all the witches and wizards give themselves away by diving behind solid objects

[Bunnylump]

I'm totally sure that the kids in the Co op at Truro thought they were having a visitation from Hogwarts when my son and his girlfriend walked in there in their gowns the other day. There was a row of little kids with their jaws hanging open! Shame he couldn't abracadabra the Co op pasty into something edible...

[Redfraggle]

It's all been sorted. Scurra had a look at my front page and Bunny and Scurra are both in agreement that it should read 'generations past' or 'past generations'. So it will be tweeked this morning. The site should be up and running by next week so Im all excited and you will all get a look-see.

[MBH]

Bunny and Scurra are both in agreement

Quoted for rarity

[LAT]

[Bunnylump]

Well, in THAT case, it should definitely be something else. WHAT is the world coming to??? Scurra and I are not allowed to agree on ANYTHING. It's the law.

[Wulfruna]

It's the law.

No - it's all just 'past' history now