Question and answer correction, please

Question

Hi teachers,This is a fragment of 'The adventures of Tom Sawyer'.Aunt Polly: Well, it's Saturday tomorrow and there's no school, but it isn't going to be a holiday for                  Tom. He's going to work tomorrow.This should be the question in past, isn't it?Why wasn't a holiday for Tom that Saturday?Will this be the right answer according to what Aunt Polly said?Because Tom had to work.Thanks in advance

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Hi TS;

Thinking SpainHi teachers,

This is a fragment of 'The adventures of Tom Sawyer'.

Aunt Polly: Well, it's Saturday tomorrow and there's no school, but it isn't going to be a holiday for
Tom. He's going to work tomorrow.

This should be the question in past, isn't it?
Why wasn't a holiday for Tom that Saturday?
Will this be the right answer according to what Aunt Polly said?
Because Tom had to work.

Thanks in advance

No, it is not a question at all. It is a statement.

Aunt Polly is saying that since Tom does not have to go to school on Saturday, she is going to give him a job to do. So he will be working, not on holiday and having fun with his friends.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

AlpheccaStarsAunt Polly: Well, it's Saturday tomorrow and there's no school, but it isn't going to be a holiday for
Tom. He's going to work tomorrow.

So what will be the question and the answer then?

Both have to be in past, haven't they? Because the story took place long time ago.

I'm quite confused by now.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Can it be like this?

Why wasn't that Saturday a holiday for Tom?

Because he was going to work.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Thinking SpainBoth have to be in past, haven't they? Because the story took place long time ago.
I'm quite confused by now.

The present tense is used to mean the time that the event took place in the context of the story, not necessarily right now. The time frame shifts, so present tense is not absolute time, but relative to the time in the story.

In the story, Aunt Polly is speaking on a Friday. (She says "Tomorrow is Saturday." and "Tom will not have a holiday.")

The next day, Saturday, Tom can say: I have to do the work (present tense) that Aunt Polly told me to do yesterday (past tense). I will see you tomorrow. (future tense).
Thinking SpainSo what will be the question and the answer then?
I'm not sure what you mean - is your assignment to make a question and answer from this passage? If so, then perhaps:

Q. Did Tom have a holiday on Saturday when he wasn't in school?
A. No, because Aunt Polly gave him some work to do.

CalifJim · Answer

Thinking SpainThis should be the question in the past, ~~isn't it~~ shouldn't it?
Why wasn't it a holiday for Tom that Saturday?

As modified, yes, that could be a question about the situation. Also, "Why wasn't it going to be a holiday for Tom that Saturday?"

Thinking Spain~~Will~~ Would this be the right answer according to what Aunt Polly said?
Because Tom had to work.

Yes. It works for me. Also, in a more complex way, "Because Aunt Polly said that he would have to work that day".

CJ

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Thank you very much for your explanation AlpheccaStars. It really has helped me.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Thanks a lot CalifJim for you time and help. I always learn a lot from you and from mi mistakes of course.

This is it, isn't it?[Y]

Why wasn't it going to be a holiday for Tom that Saturda?

a) Because Tom had to work. (simple one)

b) Because Aunt Polly said that he would have to work that day. (Complex one)

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Thinking Spainmi mistakes

...'my mistakes' ...

Thinking Spainthat Saturda?

... that Saturday?

See what I mean about 'my mistakes'!

Question and answer correction, please

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