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Mr. Tom Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
The infinitive with "sorry"
Hi
Can we use infinitive with "sorry"? In my neck of the woods, we use "sorry for being".
Tom
Can we use infinitive with "sorry"? In my neck of the woods, we use "sorry for being".
Sorry to be late in replying the e-mail but I was really busy.Thanks,
Tom
Top answer
Hi Tom Yes, you can use the to-infinitive, but I would suggest a modification or two elsewhere in your sentence: - Sorry to be late (in) replying to the/your e-mail, but I was/ have been really busy. I would never say "reply your e-mail". I would always include the word "to".
- Hi Tom Yes, you can use the to-infinitive, but I would suggest a modification or two elsewhere in your sentence: - Sorry to be late (in) replying to the/your e-mail, but I was/ have been really busy.
- I would never say "reply your e-mail".
- I would always include the word "to".
- The use of "have been" would suggest that you've been really busy right up until now, and only just now have you finally managed to find the time to reply.
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5 Answers
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Hi Tom
Yes, you can use the to-infinitive, but I would suggest a modification or two elsewhere in your sentence:
- Sorry to be late (in) replying to the/your e-mail, but I was/have been really busy.
I would never say "reply your e-mail". I would always include the word "to".
The use of "have been" would suggest that you've been really busy righ
Yes, you can use the to-infinitive, but I would suggest a modification or two elsewhere in your sentence:
- Sorry to be late (in) replying to the/your e-mail, but I was/have been really busy.
I would never say "reply your e-mail". I would always include the word "to".
The use of "have been" would suggest that you've been really busy righ
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Where is the "I am" implied? Do you mean before the word "sorry"?
Writing only "Sorry" (rather than "I am sorry") is by no means an unusual or unacceptable way to write an apology in an e-mail, Ferdis. It not restricted to spoken language.
However, if the situation is very formal, chances are good that "sorry" may not be used at all. Instead, people will use expressions such as
Writing only "Sorry" (rather than "I am sorry") is by no means an unusual or unacceptable way to write an apology in an e-mail, Ferdis. It not restricted to spoken language.
However, if the situation is very formal, chances are good that "sorry" may not be used at all. Instead, people will use expressions such as
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Sorry for being unclear. Yes, I meant 'I am' at the start of the sentence, before the word 'sorry'. Then what are the grammatical parts of a sentence like 'Sorry to be late in replying your email'? What's the subject? There has to be one since this is not an imperative form, right? 'Sorry' is an adjective only, so it can not function as any sort of noun phrase or anything. The infinitive 'to be'
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ferdisSorry for being unclear.The beginning of Tom's sentence is just like yours. So, yes, the words "I am" have been omitted. That's why I wrote this in my last post:
YankeeWriting only "Sorry" (rather than "I am sorry")...I thought you were suggesting that saying "Sorry" rather than "I am sorry" was something done excl
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