So it seems we’ve lost the war against ‘I was sat’.
And ‘I was stood’.
And others.
Sadly, these simple and needless atrocities feature daily in my conversations, and in my consumption of media. I’m not being a pedantic git – at least I don’t think I am. I genuinely think it’s a real shame, because it sounds daft and lazy. And that’s not what you want. At least I hope it isn’t.
Yet every day I hear it. And see it. For whatever reason, it’s common parlance. Even among those I know have a better grasp of the language.
Something stole our grasp of past participles.
In remembrance, here’s how they once went:
I sit; I am sitting. I sat; I was sitting.
I stand; I am standing. I stood; I was standing.
I was NOT sat.
I was NOT stood.
Nor was I ate a cake. Nor was I listened to music. Nor was I brushed my hair.
I was not fed the cat.
Yeah, it’s that simple. It’s probably too late, but if you feel like fighting the decline honourably, please do.
Or if you do it, and have a valid explanation or excuse, let’s hear it: