English

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the help! I have one more question on grammar.
QU: What is the mistake in this sentence, and how would you explain the mistake?

"Why didn't you answer the telephone? Because I had a bath?"

I see that the mistake is "I had." It should be "I was having." Would I be right in saying that this is because "I had" refers to an event that could have occurred any time in the past but "I was having" implies that the person was in the bath at the time of the phone call?

Thank you!

Annie

 

[Tdol]

You're right about 'having'. 'Had' is unclear about the time, while 'having' suggests not finished. ;-)

 

[RonBee]

"Why didn't you answer the telephone? Because I had a bath?"

I suggest that you revise that. As it is it seems to be the caller who is taking a bath, and that doesn't make sense. Try:

• Why didn't you answer the telephone? Is is because you were taking a bath?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you for the help! I have one more question on grammar.
QU: What is the mistake in this sentence, and how would you explain the mistake?

"Why didn't you answer the telephone? Because I had a bath?"

I see that the mistake is "I had." It should be "I was having." Would I be right in saying that this is because "I had" refers to an event that could have occurred any time in the past but "I was having" implies that the person was in the bath at the time of the phone call?

Thank you!

Annie

When you use "had" that way, it implies that people who bathe don't answer telephones. The progressive nature of "having" implies that the bath was occurring at the time of the call. :wink: