[Essay] It started raining...

[Fanoos62]

Hi.
Are these sentences correct? "It started raining when he was walking to work. He stopped a taxi because he didn't wear a coat and he hadn't an umbrella."
Thanks.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, they are OK. I would prefer "He hailed a taxi" and "he didn't have an umbrella".

 

[Fanoos62]

Yes, they are OK. I would prefer "He hailed a taxi" and "he didn't have an umbrella".

Thanks Mike.
I've read that sentences from my book.
Anyway thanks.

 

[bhaisahab]

The only thing I would change is "he didn't wear a coat", which I would write as "he wasn't wearing a coat".

 

[Fanoos62]

The only thing I would change is "he didn't wear a coat", which I would write as "he wasn't wearing a coat".

Why "He wasn't wearing a coat?"

 

[bhaisahab]

I don't know why he wasn't wearing a coat. ;-)

 

[Fanoos62]

I don't know why he wasn't wearing a coat. ;-)

What about these?
"They were driving to the airport when they suddenly remembered that they didn't turn off the lights."

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think 'they hadn't turned off' should be used because it happened before 'they suddenly remembered'.

Not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

There is a BrE vs AmE difference here. In BrE, we would say "They were driving when they suddenly realised they hadn't turned the lights off" and in AmE, I believe "They were driving when they suddenly realised they didn't turn the lights off".

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi.
Are these sentences correct? "It started raining when he was walking to work. He stopped a taxi because he didn't wear a coat and he hadn't an umbrella."
Thanks.

I would write "It started raining while he was walking to work. He hailed a taxi because he wasn't wearing a coat and he didn't have an umbrella".

"He hadn't an umbrella" isn't wrong but it sounds old-fashioned.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Why "He wasn't wearing a coat?"

If you are asking why 'He wasn't wearing a coat' should be used instead of 'he didn't wear a coat', I would think that the progressive tense 'be wearing' should be used when describing someone being in certain clothes at a particular moment.

Not a teacher.

 

[Fanoos62]

If you are asking why 'He wasn't wearing a coat' should be used instead of 'he didn't wear a coat', I would think that the progressive tense 'be wearing' should be used when describing someone being in certain clothes at a particular moment.

Not a teacher.

Thanks very much.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Fanoos62, clicking on the 'Thank' button can obviate the need for a new post saying 'Thanks', such is one of the many unwritten rules on this forum.

Not a teacher.