Occupied time is likely ①to feel shorter than unoccupied time.

[hhs010120]

Hello teachers
This is a test question my friend made, and I think it's problematic. And we argued over it. She and I want to know if the test question has a problem or not.
My question is "In the next paragraph, which is grammatically incorrect?"
I think all of the five underlined words are correct, and she thinks #5 is the answer.
I am looking forward to your answer.
Thanks in advance.
Your answer will be greatly helpful.

Occupied time is likely ①to feel shorter than unoccupied time. The case of complaints Houston Airport faced regarding baggage claim time shows that people usually exaggerate about the time they waited, and what they find ②annoying is time spent unoccupied. A few decades ago, executives of Houston Airport increased the number of baggage handlers ③to cope with the complaints about the baggage claim time. Though it reduced the average wait time to eight minutes, complaints didn’t stop. Within about a minuite passengers could get from the arrival gate to baggage claim, so the passengers spent seven more minutes ④waiting for their bags. Then, the executives moved the arrival gates away from the baggage claim. Hence, it took passengers about seven minutes to walk there, which resulted in complaints reducing to almost zero. Occupying the passengers’ time then by making them walk longer seems ⑤to give the passengers the idea that they didn’t have to wait as long.

 

[Rover_KE]

Always tell us the source and author of any text you quote, please, hhs010120.

Were you given alternatives choose from? If this is a homework exercise, we can’t help you.

 

[hhs010120]

This is not a homework exercise. It comes from a test question my friend made, and my friend also wants to know if it's the right question.

 

[Rover_KE]

Where did your friend find the quoted text?

 

[jutfrank]

The pattern used there is give someone the idea that ..., which is perfectly grammatical and natural. What does your friend think is wrong with it?

 

[hhs010120]

The pattern used there is give someone the idea that ..., which is perfectly grammatical and natural. What does your friend think is wrong with it?

she said that "to have given" is correct instead of "to give".
Occupying the passengers’ time then by making them walk longer seems ⑤to have given the passengers the idea that they didn’t have to wait as long.
Occupying the passengers’ time then by making them walk longer seems ⑤to give the passengers the idea that they didn’t have to wait as long.

I think "to have given" is correct but I wonder if "to give" is incorrect.

 

[hhs010120]

Where did your friend find the quoted text?

She got the text from a standardized test administered by the government in 2017 here. and I am sure they took care of the copyright issue related to the text.

 

[LuisNu]

she said that "to have given" is correct instead of "to give".
Occupying the passengers’ time then by making them walk longer seems ⑤to have given the passengers the idea that they didn’t have to wait as long.
Occupying the passengers’ time then by making them walk longer seems ⑤to give the passengers the idea that they didn’t have to wait as long.

I think "to have given" is correct but I wonder if "to give" is incorrect.

I hadn't thought of it this way until now. thanks for that answer.

 

[Tarheel]

Try:

people usually exaggerate the time they spend waiting

And

to cope with complaints about the time spent waiting

And:

Occupying the passengers' time by making them walk longer seems to give them the idea that they are waiting less.

That's because they are waiting less. They are walking more and waiting less.

 

[hhs010120]

Try:

people usually exaggerate the time they spend waiting

And

to cope with complaints about the time spent waiting

And:

Occupying the passengers' time by making them walk longer seems to give them the idea that they are waiting less.

That's because they are waiting less. They are walking more and waiting less.

So you think the last sentence is awkward?
Occupying the passengers’ time then by making them walk longer seems ⑤to give the passengers the idea that they didn’t have to wait as long.

 

[jutfrank]

she said that "to have given" is correct instead of "to give".

Ah, I see. It's fine to use to give instead of to have given, but only if you also change the tense of didn't to don't, which would then make the sentence a generalisation rather than about the specific past result. If you keep didn't, then only to have given is correct. So yes, the question is valid.

 

[hhs010120]

Ah, I see. It's fine to use to give instead of to have given, but only if you also change the tense of didn't to don't, which would then make the sentence a generalisation rather than about the specific past result. If you keep didn't, then only to have given is correct. So yes, the question is valid.

But I wonder why all the grammar checkers online don't say 'to give' is incorrect. and you also felt that the sentence was okay at first.
Is it okay to use 'to give' in a conversation?

 

[Tarheel]

So you think the last sentence is awkward?
Occupying the passengers’ time then by making them walk longer seems ⑤to give the passengers the idea that they don't have to wait as long.

I think it's inaccurate. They are walking more and waiting less. They spend less time waiting for their baggage. They don't just think they are waiting less. They are spending less time waiting.

 

[Rover_KE]

hhs010120, please note that I've changed your thread title.

Titles must include some or all of the words or phrases you're asking about.

 

[jutfrank]

But I wonder why all the grammar checkers online don't say 'to give' is incorrect.

I can't answer that.

and you also felt that the sentence was okay at first.

Actually, I hadn't read the whole sentence carefully. Sorry.

Is it okay to use 'to give' in a conversation?

No. The idea of the sentence is to talk about the specific past result, so only have given is correct.

 

[SoothingDave]

I didn't see anything wrong with the sentence when I read it. It's a subtle error that most native speakers wouldn't even recognize. The meaning is clear.

It's a very hard question.