Heading This Way Or Headed This Way?

[dave50]

Seems that more are saying headed instead of heading. Which is correct?

[Buenchico]

It depends upon the tense.  'Headed' is the past participle of the verb 'to head'.  'Heading' is the present participle.

So, for example, "Storm Bert was headed this way but we never really saw much of it", whereas "Storm Darragh is heading this way, so stay indoors".

[ToraToraTora]

Headed is past tense but can also mean the direction is set but not the movement. Generally if something is moving it's "heading".

 

[Old_Geezer]

It's little questions like this that makes one think as to whether they really know the things they think they no.

 

Yeah, the 2 answers above seem plausible to me 😉

[youngmafbog]

I thought if you headed someone it was like a Glasgow kiss?

[Old_Geezer]

That's heeded you're thinking of.

[dave50]

Oh I see.

[jno]

I don't get the distinction, Buenchico. "He is painting the house"/"He was painting the house" - we don't say "He was painted the house".

[tomus42]

It's the difference between the imperfect and perfect tense.

The storm was heading would be correct for the imperfect.

The storm headed would be the perfect.

The storm had been heading would of course be the pluperfect as we all know from our O level french.

'Was headed' sounds wrong.

 

[Peter Pedant]

either. Just  emerged from my arabic class and you should hear their howlers in english

[THECORBYLOON]

I would say, "X is headed..." is an intended or potential outcome while, "X is heading..." is actually happening or is a more likely outcome.

[tomus42]

Languages evolves. If enough people say something wrong it eventually becomes right.

[dave50]

No, wrong grammer can never be right.

[dave50]

Grammar, oops.