RE: "Is exceeded" acceptable grammar?

[Amy Bryant <asb -dot- lists -at- googlemail -dot- com>]

Patty B.: 

> 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".  

I believe what you have written is perfectly grammatical.

The PM's suggestion is a typical case of the informal (and sloppy) use of
the simple past in American English where the present perfect is needed. In
other words, if you were to make any change to the verb tense then it would
be to "has been exceeded".

Amy Bryant

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