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New2grammar Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

implication of missing context

0A boss tells his secretary, "Mary, next week I have a meeting in Sydney and I would like you to book me a ticket. I will let you know the details tomorrow."02br
02br
00Next day, the boss asks Mary, "Mary, please book the ticket on Sunday morning. Thank you."02br
02br
00Without considering the context, does the sentence "Mary, please book the ticket on Sunday morning" sound like the boss wants Mary to wait until Sunday morning before actually booking the ticket?02br
02br
00While with the context, it is understood by native speakers that the departure time should be on Sunday morning, right?02br
02br
00I want to make sure my understanding of context is correct. Thanks in advance.0-
  

Top answer

0 01blockquote 01cite 10New2grammar12cite 12br 10A boss tells his secretary, "Mary, next week I have a meeting in Sydney and I would like you to book me a ticket. "12br 12br 10Next day, the boss asks Mary, "Mary, please book the ticket on Sunday morning. 12br 12br 10I want to make sure my understanding of context is correct.

— Yoong Liat

  • 0 01blockquote 01cite 10New2grammar12cite 12br 10A boss tells his secretary, "Mary, next week I have a meeting in Sydney and I would like you to book me a ticket.
  • "12br 12br 10Next day, the boss asks Mary, "Mary, please book the ticket on Sunday morning.
  • 12br 12br 10I want to make sure my understanding of context is correct.
  • "0-
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5 Answers
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0 01blockquote
01cite10New2grammar12cite12br
10A boss tells his secretary, "Mary, next week I have a meeting in Sydney and I would like you to book me a ticket. I will let you know the details tomorrow."12br
12br
10Next day, the boss asks Mary, "Mary, please book the ticket on Sunday morning. Thank you."12br
12br
0
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0The fact that this is set in a workplace makes it highly unlikely that the boss would be asking a secretary to make a booking on Sunday, and so in context it is absolutely clear that the boss means her to book the ticket for Sunday.0-
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0For sentences like this, I find it confusing when time is specified. The time specified could mean two things: when the person is going to carry out the task or when the task is scheduled. 02br
02br
00I believe Yoong Liat is suggesting to use 'for' when the time specified is meant for "when the task is scheduled" and 'on' otherwise. Lil', do you agree with that or you think
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0 01blockquote
01cite10New2grammar12cite12br
11b11u10Without 12u10considering the context12b10, does the sentence "Mary, please book the ticket on Sunday morning" sound like the boss wants Mary to wait until Sunday morning before actually booking the ticket? 11font11b10
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0 01blockquote
01cite10New2grammar12cite10John, please schedule the meeting at 2pm. => I believe Yoong Liat would prefer to use 'for' instead of 'at' but I was taught to use 'at' with time.12br
12br
12blockquote
10'At' can be used depending on context.02br
02br
00The space shuttle had been sche
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