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Guest Posted 23 years ago
Grammar

Form, function and phonological aspects (Jeff)

I was asked to consider the form, function and phonological aspects of the following items.

1) I was having a bath when the phone rang
2) I wish I had worked harder.

I cannot get my head round this, can you help me please?

Thanks,
Jeff Featherstone
  

Top answer

hmmm... 1) in the first sentence you have a progressive action (was having a bath) interrupted by sudden, singular outside action (the phone rang). i would be more likely to say i was "taking" a bath, rather than "having" one, but that might be the american in me speaking 2) this sentence expresses current (and possibly ongoing) regret.

— Moijelesuis

  • hmmm...
  • 1) in the first sentence you have a progressive action (was having a bath) interrupted by sudden, singular outside action (the phone rang).
  • i would be more likely to say i was "taking" a bath, rather than "having" one, but that might be the american in me speaking 2) this sentence expresses current (and possibly ongoing) regret.
  • i wish NOW that i had worked harder THEN (sometime in the past).
  • the past perfect verb (had worked) informs us that "i" did NOT work as hard as i should have, and that it is too late to do anything about it, hence the regret.
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1 Answers
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hmmm...

1) in the first sentence you have a progressive action (was having a bath) interrupted by sudden, singular outside action (the phone rang). i would be more likely to say i was "taking" a bath, rather than "having" one, but that might be the american in me speaking

2) this sentence expresses current (and possibly ongoing) regret. i wish NOW that i had worked harder TH
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