0
Nocy Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
I don't understand why.. help me, plz.
Choose the one that is NOT grammatically correct.
1. My friend coughed for more than ten minutes.
2. My friend walked in the park for thirty minutes.
3. My friend was kicking the wall for half an hour.
4. My friend built a house for three months.
5. My friend was reading a book for three hours.
It is from my grammar work book.
The answer is 4. According to the book, in the fourth sentense the 'for' should be changed to 'in'.
But, is that correct just itself? dose it make sense just itself?
And I don't understand the differences between '4' and the others.
1. My friend coughed for more than ten minutes.
2. My friend walked in the park for thirty minutes.
3. My friend was kicking the wall for half an hour.
4. My friend built a house for three months.
5. My friend was reading a book for three hours.
It is from my grammar work book.
The answer is 4. According to the book, in the fourth sentense the 'for' should be changed to 'in'.
But, is that correct just itself? dose it make sense just itself?
And I don't understand the differences between '4' and the others.
Top answer
Compare 2 and 4. "Walking" is an ongoing activity which you can stop at any time, like exercising. " "For" is used in describing how long you spent performing an activity.
- Compare 2 and 4.
- "Walking" is an ongoing activity which you can stop at any time, like exercising.
- " "For" is used in describing how long you spent performing an activity.
- "In" is used in describing how long you spent achieving a goal, or reaching an objective, or accomplishing a task.
- " My friend built a house in three months.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
Compare 2 and 4. "Walking" is an ongoing activity which you can stop at any time, like exercising. "Building a house" is not finished until the house is "built."
"For" is used in describing how long you spent performing an activity. "In" is used in describing how long you spent achieving a goal, or reaching an objective, or accomplishing a task.
If his goal is to walk three mile
"For" is used in describing how long you spent performing an activity. "In" is used in describing how long you spent achieving a goal, or reaching an objective, or accomplishing a task.
If his goal is to walk three mile
00
AvangiYou may say, "My friend worked on his house for three months." The house is not yet "built."
Thank you, Avangi! I began to wonder if it was possible at all to convey this meaning in English when I looked at the original poster's sentence, in which built was used. I didn't automatically realize that the verb
00
Coughing, walking in the park, kicking the wall, and reading a book are all activities.
Building a house is an accomplishment.
States and activities can be accompanied by for clauses of time. Accomplishments and achievements cannot.
The following are unusual for the same reason. They are accomplishments or achievements.
Catherine hung her coat on a hook
Building a house is an accomplishment.
States and activities can be accompanied by for clauses of time. Accomplishments and achievements cannot.
The following are unusual for the same reason. They are accomplishments or achievements.
Catherine hung her coat on a hook
00
Related Questions