I'm sorry for having wasted(wasting) your time

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keannu

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My grammar book says in ex2, simple past gerund can replace the perfect tense as simple past tense itself has the meaning of past actions, but in ex1, can "wasting" also replace "having wasted"?
So are the verbs limted that can be replaced by simple past tense? Or can most verbs be?

ex1)I'm sorry that I wasted your time
=> I'm sorry for having wasted(wasting) your time.

ex2)He admitted having cheated on the exam
=> He admitted cheating on the exam.
 

Grumpy

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Yes, and in fact that style is used more often. Most verbs can be used thus.
 

keannu

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You mean this is true and this can be applied to many verbs as well, right?

I'm sorry for having wasted your time.
=I'm sorry for wasting your time.
 
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Rover_KE

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Yes. There is no effective difference in their meaning.

Rover
 
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