[General] I hadn't expected the question and it caught me on the wrong food.

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kompstar

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'I hadn't expected the question and it caught me on the wrong food.'

I hadn't expected...
<- Is it Past Perfect?

If I would say 'I didn't expect the question and it caught me on the wrong food.' ​would it be correct?
 

emsr2d2

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"I hadn't expected" is the past perfect and it's OK in that sentence. However, please note that each time you wrote "food", it should have been "foot".
 

kompstar

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Thanks. I know it should have been "foot" I've just made a mistake.

If I would say 'I didn't expect the question and it caught me on the wrong foot.'' Would it be also natural and correct?
 

emsr2d2

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Yes. "I didn't" works too.

I would probably say either "... it wrong-footed me" or "... it caught me on the back foot".
 

kompstar

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So are "This question wrong-footed me." or"This question caught me on the back foot." correct?

Do I understand right that "to catch sb on the wrong foot" means "to surprise sb" ?
 

GoesStation

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So are "This question wrong-footed me." or"This question caught me on the back foot." correct?

Do I understand right that "to catch sb on the wrong foot" means "to surprise sb" ?

Yes. We don't use those expressions in AmE though. We'd say This question caught me off guard.
 
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