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Questions & Answers about Öğrenciler grupta yazışıyordu.
How does the reciprocal suffix change the meaning of the verb here?
The base verb is yazmak (to write). By adding the reciprocal suffix -ış, we get yazışmak, which means "to write to each other" or "to message". This suffix turns a one-way action into a mutual one among the students.
Why does the verb yazışıyordu end in both -ıyor and -du?
This combines two time markers to create the past continuous tense ("were messaging"). The -ıyor part is the continuous marker (like "-ing"), and the -du part is the past tense marker ("was/were").
Why is the suffix on "group" written as -ta in grupta instead of -da?
This is a quick reminder of consonant harmony! Because grup ends in a hard, voiceless consonant (p), the locative suffix -da ("in/on/at") changes its d to a hard t to match.
The subject Öğrenciler is plural. Why doesn't the verb have a plural suffix like yazışıyorlardı?
In Turkish, when a plural subject is explicitly stated in the sentence (like Öğrenciler), the verb can remain in the singular form. Saying yazışıyorlardı is also correct, but dropping the plural suffix on the verb is very common and sounds natural.