RE: "Is exceeded" acceptable grammar?

["Technical Writing Plus" <doc-x -at- earthlink -dot- net>]

Methinks that you are the one in the right on this thing, Patricia. 

In this case, 'was exceeded' would not even be a close second. Maybe it
could be third, etc. 'Was exceeded' does not sound idiomatic in that
particular sentence.

However, I do recognize that there does exist situations for using 'was
exceeded'. This is not one of them, in my opinion. 

Strictly speaking, 'was exceeded' in that place is more precise technically,
but to my technical editor ears it does not sound entirely idiomatic and 'is
exceeded' here does sound entirely idiomatic.

If I were hired to edit that manual and I saw that the PM had changed it to
'was exceeded', then I'd argue for 'is exceeded.' 

Jim Jones        Sr Member, STC          linkedin.com/in/jimxlat 

stc-chicago-jim.blogspot.com 

Chinese, German, and Spanish to English 

Editing and Technical Editing 

Last fall edited a Print-on-demand book. 
Currently editing a memoir for a physician at NASA.  

-----Original Message-----

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 8:21 AM

...Wonder if anyone would be willing to chime in and help settle a friendly
argument here. One of my project managers enjoys catching tech writers
making grammar errors. 

What is your opinion of the following sentence: "The application stops the
Windows Installer service when the spool limit is exceeded."

The PM believes I should have said "was exceeded"...

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