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Dishant Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Please look at the sentence below and the underlined part
In an interview, Dr. Gurdon said he had recovered from the setback of his biology teacher’s report with the help of his family and an uncle who studied snails. Asked how he felt about having to wait 50 years for his prize, he said, “I am lucky to be still alive.”
Shouldn't the underlined part have been having had to wait 5o years?
Because the wait is over and when he was awarded the noble prize he had waited 50 years.
Please clarify.
Thank you.
  

Top answer

An argument could be made for the past perfect, as you suggest. But I think it adds unnecessary verb-age. On another point, I realize that there is an age-old rule about splitting infinitives, but I think that I am lucky to still be alive sounds much better.

— Philip

  • An argument could be made for the past perfect, as you suggest.
  • But I think it adds unnecessary verb-age.
  • On another point, I realize that there is an age-old rule about splitting infinitives, but I think that I am lucky to still be alive sounds much better.
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11 Answers
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An argument could be made for the past perfect, as you suggest. But I think it adds unnecessary verb-age. On another point, I realize that there is an age-old rule about splitting infinitives, but I think that I am lucky to still be alive sounds much better.
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Asked how he felt about having to wait is correct. The gerund having is following the preposition about. This is the correct structure. I have another example of the this structure below.

I prevented the baby from falling down the steps.

I is the subject. Prevented is the verb. The baby i
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nagariya I is the subject. Prevented is the verb. The baby is the direct object. From is the preposition and falling is the gerund.
I’m sorry, but what does any of this have to do with the OP’s question, which was whether or not had should be used?
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In an interview, Dr. Gurdon said he had recovered from the setback of his biology teacher’s report with the help of his family and an uncle who studied snails. Asked how he felt about having to wait 50 years for his prize, he said, “I am lucky to be still alive.”

I am sorry, but I am getting confused? I thought that "about having" was a verbal phase acting as an obje
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As far as I can tell, the present perfect could be used but isn’t necessary.
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I think nagariya is right.It can't be used here.I go with him asparagus.Could you tell me why it can be used? But why do you think it is unnecessary?
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I am sorry, Aspara Gus. I do not wish to offend you, but I have been studying very hard over the past months and I have not found your answer in my books. Could you please give me documentation of this, because I cannot find that a verbal phase can be used as you are suggesting. If I am learning wrong then I need you to teach me. I can only find examples like this paper that I have provided.
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dishantCould you tell me why it can be used?
The perfect participle (having had to wait) is a common construction in English.
dishantBut why do you think it is unnecessary?
The sentence is clear and grammatical without it.
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Yes, but isn't that when it is being used as a verb. This is not being used as a verb in Distant's sentence, but as a gerund in a verbal phrase that is being used as an object. I believe you are wrong.
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nagariyaYes, but isn't that when it is being used as a verb? This is not being used as a verb in dishant’s sentence, but as a gerund in a verbal phrase that is being used as an object.
You have it wrong, I’m afraid.

Asked how he felt about having had to wait 50 years for his prize, …

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