in a situation [in which]/[where]/[when]

[EngLearner]

I've been many times in a situation [in which]/[where]/[when] a volleyball has gone over the fence into my neighbour's yard. I'd walk over to the fence and say to my neighbour: "Sorry, I kicked my ball over your fence. May I come and retrieve it please?".

I wrote the text above. Which of the options do you prefer? Are all of them acceptable?

 

[emsr2d2]

For a start, you need to move "many times" to after "situation".
Use "my volleyball". Using the indefinite article suggests that a random ball has gone into your neighbour's yard, but doesn't make it clear that the ball has anything to do with you.
All three options are possible but I doubt any native speaker would use the opening you did.

"I've accidentally knocked my volleyball into my neighbour's garden many times" is much more likely.

 

[teechar]

Which of the options do you prefer?

None. What you wrote is too wordy. Try: I play volleyball in my yard/garden, and sometimes/often the ball goes over the fence into the neighbour's yard/garden.

I'd walk over to the fence and say to my neighbour:

That assumes the neighbour is in their garden at the time. Is that what you had in mind?

 

[EngLearner]

That assumes the neighbour is in their garden at the time. Is that what you had in mind?

Yes.

 

[EngLearner]

I see teechar used "the ball" in his example.

I've accidentally knocked the volleyball into my neighbour's garden many times.

In the above sentence, does the definite article imply that I have only one volleyball? If I have three volleyballs, is it still correct to say "the volleyball" meaning "my volleyball" (i.e. "one of my three volleyballs")?

 

[Rover_KE]

Your neighbour doesn't care how many volleyballs you've got -- they just wish you'd stop sending them into their garden disturbing their peace and quiet, damaging their plants and breaking their greenhouse windows.