Hello. I am writing an essay about ancient religions in the Middle East, Sumerian and Hebrew. I am wondering whether I should write in the past or present tense because Hebrew is still around today (referred to as Jewish) and there is probably some minority that still practices the Sumerian religion.
Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. Yes, why not the present tense? Of course, some things may have changed and you might also relate how it used to be (past tense).
I really don't know if the things are the same today or not though.
The Sumerian religion died out many years ago. Basically the Hebrew religion has stayed the same -- at least for Orthodox Jews. Since you're writing about ancient religions, I suggest you use the past tense, except when you are specifically talking about today's Judaism.
Okay, that makes sense. Thanks!
Hello! When writing about ancient religions in the Middle East, it is generally recommended to write about them in the past tense. This is because these religions belong to ancient civilizations that are no longer thriving or widely practiced today. However, there can be exceptions in certain cases, like Hebrew, which is still observed by Jewish communities today. In such instances, you can choose to write about it in the present tense.
To make an informed decision, you can consider a couple of things:
1. Context: Assess the overall context and focus of your essay. If you are primarily discussing the historical aspects and beliefs of these ancient religions, then it would be more appropriate to use the past tense throughout the essay.
2. Specific examples: In case you need to mention current practices or beliefs of Hebrew/Jewish religion or any minority practicing the Sumerian religion, you can use the present tense for those isolated instances, while maintaining the past tense as the predominant tense for the rest of the essay.
Remember, consistency is important, so whichever tense you choose, try to apply it consistently throughout your essay to maintain clarity and coherence.