Fill in the blanks 1

[hela]

Dear teachers,

First of all I would like to say that this is not homework. I'm just trying to do exercises taken from books or internet on my own. I would appreciate if you could tell me which word or which tense is the most appropriate and why.

We were very sorry to hear that you are back 1 in / to hospital again, but I feel sure you’ll be out and about again soon. It doesn’t sound very serious this time according to Uncle Tom, and in any case you 2 always recover / have always recovered / have always been recovering from operations so quickly.
Robin started school last week, and I 3 am just getting / have just got accustomed to having 4 some / a little time 5 to / for myself 6 in / during the day while he’s at school.
If we 7 lived / were living a little nearer, we would come to 8 Ø /the hospital to see you, but anyway you know well we 9 are praying / will pray / will be praying for you.

Thank you very much in advance for your help.
Hela

 

[Rover_KE]

Tell us what you think first.

 

[hela]

#1 would "in" be used for a patient, and "to" for somebody who works in a hospital for example?

#2 the simple present is normally used for a permanent habit, but the present perfect also expresses a past habit that is still true today. I'm not sure if this can be the case with the present perfect progressive.

#3 the present progressive is better here because it's a very recent action and therefore she is not accustomed to her solitude yet?

#4 both possible?

#5 As for me, both are correct but these are the explanations I found on the net. Do you agree?

' "I need more time to myself" means I'm with people too much and need to be alone more.
"I need more time for myself" means I'm too busy and need more time to look after my own needs. "

#6 I suppose that "during" is better but I don't know if "in" works as well.

#7 simple past and past progressive both possible. But is there a nuance between them?

#8 come to the hospital because they would go there as visitors and not patient.

#9 all three tenses are possible here (???)

 

[hela]

Could anybody answer my query, please?
Thank you in advance.

 

[Barb_D]

I agree with your answers.
#1 - in. (In the US, we are "in the hospital," even as a patient, and we go "to the hospital" to visit, but I think the UK dialect still uses "to the" for visiting.")
#2 could use either tense.
#3 could be either but your choice seems slightly more likely.
#4 - yes
#5 - I'm not sure the differences are all that clear, but either one works.
#6 - during is the only one that works. "in" is not right.
#7 -"living" suggests that where they live now is new or temporary. Maybe they moved there last year and in the past, a hospital visit would have been easier. Either could be right.
#8 -yes
#9 - yes

 

[hela]

Thank you, Barb.

Two more questions, please.

-- #2, You mean that all these tenses are correct: present simple, present perfect simple and even the present perfect progressive?
you have always been recovering from operations so quickly.

-- Is it possible to use the present perfect progressive with "so far" or should we use only the present perfect simple?
e.g. So far Lisa has been travelling / has travelled over a 1000 miles.

Best regards

 

[Barb_D]

Sorry - no.
You have always recovered is okay
You alway recover is okay.

Use the present perfect with "so far."