[Grammar] What's wrong with 'forgot' and what's right with 'left'?

[Aidan]

“I’m afraid I forgot my paper at home”

I know that the verb 'forgot' does not work in this sentence and should be replaced by 'left'. Can anyone explain why this is the case and what grammatical rule the above sentence breaks?

 

[5jj]

It's nothing to do with grammar. It just happens that in some languages you can 'forget something at home', but in English we 'forget something', 'forget to bring something' or 'leave something at home'.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's nothing to do with grammar. It just happens that in some languages you can 'forget something at home', but in English we 'forget something', 'forget to bring something' or 'leave something at home'.

Or you can "forget to bring something from home".

 

[TomUK]

Not a teacher

“I’m afraid I forgot my paper at home”

When I read the above sentence I thought there is nothing wrong with it, but that's only because it's the way we would say it in German. Reading up on it in the OALD I found 'You cannot use forget if you want to mention the place where you have left something: I've left my book at home. [STRIKE]I've forgotten my book at home[/STRIKE].' as an explanation. This only confirms what 5jj wrote, and it is not a case that I don't trust his words, but I always like to read up on things to help me understand better. It is just my feeble attempt to collect another drop of knowledge to fill the still fairly empty bucket of wisdom.

Coming back to the original question: As it is not a grammar issue, would be 'wrong choice of words' a good enough explanation or is there a more linguistic answer?

TomUK

 

[SoothingDave]

The sentence sounds just fine to me. Maybe it breaks some grammar rule, but I'm sure it's a quite natural thing to say.

 

[bhaisahab]

The sentence sounds just fine to me. Maybe it breaks some grammar rule, but I'm sure it's a quite natural thing to say.

It doesn't break any grammar rules.

 

[Tdol]

After years of teaching, it no longer sounds wrong to me to say forget something at home. ;-)

 

[5jj]

After years of teaching, it no longer sounds wrong to me to say forget something at home.

I look forward to reach that stage. ;-)

 

[5jj]

I look forward to reach that stage. ;-)

Uh-oh. I suppose some members might not realise that that was not a serious comment. I used the incorrect 'I look forward to reach ...' rather than the correct 'I look forward to reaching ...' to suggest that years of exposure to this common learner error had made me think it was correct.

It was an attempt to be mildly amusing.

 

[emsr2d2]

Uh-oh. I suppose some members might not realise that that was not a serious comment. I used the incorrect 'I look forward to reach ...' rather than the correct 'I look forward to reaching ...' to suggest that years of exposure to this common learner error had made me think it was correct.

It was an attempt to be mildly amusing.

Thank you for explaining me the joke. ;-)

(Note: use of incorrect English also deliberate.)

 

[TomUK]

Not a teacher!

It was a[STRIKE]n[/STRIKE] failed attempt to be mildly amusing.

Grammatically correct, but incomplete sentence due to omission of a vital adjective. That is another example for my problems with the English - they just don't have a sense of humour.;-)

TomUK