FOR ONCE (that) Please help teachers

Question

How would a native say this please? and which tense to use?

1 For once that I'm in a hurry, the metro takes/is taking forever to pull out. We've been waiting 5 minutes in the car and it hasn't pulled out.

Thank you

KrisBlueNZ · Accepted Answer

"The one time I'M in a hurry, the metro TAKES forever ... WE'VE been waiting five minutes in the car and it HASN'T pulled out (yet)"

or

"The one time I WAS in a hurry, the metro TOOK forever ... WE HAD been waiting five minutes in the car and it HADN'T pulled out".

"The ONE time" emphasises that you were never in a hurry the other times. You could also use THE ONLY TIME, or THE ONE AND ONLY TIME, or THE ONLY TIME ... EVER.

You can use present or past tense according to context - whether you're talking at the time, or relating the story later.

Alc24 · Answer

Is it correct to use FOR ONCE like this

For once, I'm in a hurry and the metro is taking forever.

How would you properly say these 2 sentences please?

For once I took the train and didn't see the ticket controller.

For once the food is good here.

Thank you Kris

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

"FOR ONCE, I'm in a hurry and the metro is taking forever" is not WRONG, but it doesn't emphasise the irony of the Metro being slow just when you're in a hurry (but not being slow at other times). If you DO intend to emphasise that irony, you need to say "The ONE time I'm in a hurry, the Metro is taking forever" or something like that.

"FOR ONCE" specifically means that things are this way JUST THIS ONCE. Actually it's usually hyperbole; often, things have been this way before, but perhaps not often, or perhaps you just don't notice many of the other times. "FOR ONCE the food is good here" is a good example. It means that the food here is not often good, but it is today (or this time).

"FOR ONCE I took the train and didn't see the ticket controller" doesn't seem to be making any strong point. If you mean that you usually take the train, and usually see the ticket controller, but this time you didn't see him/her, you could say something like "I took the train [as usual], but this time I didn't see the ticket controller", or "I took the train [as usual], but FOR ONCE, I didn't see the ticket controller".

Alc24 · Answer

I can see the difference but both are correct?

For once, I'm in a hurry and the metro is taking forever.

The one time I am in a hurry, the metro is taking forever.

Thank you so much

Alc24 · Answer

I can see the difference but both are correct?

For once, I'm in a hurry and the metro is taking forever.

The one time I am in a hurry, the metro is taking forever.

Can you tell me how to say this?

The one time I do go shopping, do you really have to rush me.

Thank you so much

Alc24 · Answer

Can you tell me how to say this?

The one time I do go shopping, do you really have to rush me.

These are both correct right? but what the difference, I'm not sure?

For once, I want you to come and you don't want to.
The one time I want you to come, you don't want to.

For once, I'm in a hurry and the metro is taking forever.
The one time I am in a hurry, the metro is taking forever.

Thank you so much

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

alc24The one time I do go shopping, do you really have to rush me.

This example doesn't fit with the idea of ironic bad luck that this style of sentence is used for.
Your metro example below is a good case for the use of this style. It says that normally when you take the metro, you're not in a hurry and there are no delays, but this time, when you ARE in a hurry, there ARE delays. In other words, JUST when it matters to you, there is a problem. This characterises the unfortunate coincidence as ironic, and seemingly deliberately evil.
The shopping example doesn't fit that style, and I don't see any way to re-word it so that it does.

alc24 For once, I want you to come and you don't want to.
The one time I want you to come, you don't want to.

The second sentence is better, but again this example doesn't fit with the ironic bad luck that this sentence style is used for.

alc24For once, I'm in a hurry and the metro is taking forever.
The one time I am in a hurry, the metro is taking forever.

The second sentence is the right form, and it's a good example of this style of sentence.

FOR ONCE (that) Please help teachers

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