tenses + but I've been too busy recently

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joham

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Oct 30, 2007
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Chinese
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Are all the seven sentences reasonable in terms of the tenses? Thank you in advance.

1. I did all the cooking (in the past), but I've been too busy recently.
2. I do all the cooking, but I've been too busy recently.
3. I was doing all the cooking (in the past), but I've been too busy recently.
4. I'm willing to do/ I'll do all the cooking (from now on), but I've been too busy recently.
5. I would do all the cooking, but I've been too busy recently.
6. I would have done all the cooking, but I've been too busy recently.
7. I would have been doing all the cooking, but I've been too busy recently.
 
1 I used to do all the cooking in the past but...

2 I usually do all the cooking but...

3 Okay
4 Not really
5 Okay but not as good as the others
6 Okay
7 Okay
 
Agreed; but for 4), just reverse the two clauses.
 
Would this work?

4. I'll be doing all the cooking, hence. I've been too busy recently.
5. I would have been doing all the cooking if I hadn't been too busy recently.
 
Or,

I've been busy recently, but I'm willing to do all the cooking [from now on].
 
/A learner/

Or,

I've been busy recently, but I'm willing to do all the cooking [from now on].
Your example isn't for now on, I'd say.

Seems to me
It is for the particular cooking that should be done this time.
 
We don't say "all the cooking" in reference to just one meal, but as a sum of kitchen chores on an ongoing basis.
 
So I can't say
I'll do all the cooking this time. You take a seat and read your magazine.
And it doesn't mean I'll prepare the lunch this time and you..

Would you say

I'll do cooking this time...
 
Last edited:
No your first one is possible, given all the contextual limiters. But among the previous examples, you misunderstood the most likely meaning of "all the cooking".

As for your last one, you still need the definite article.
 
No sweat:)

The cooking.
 
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