0
PreciousJones Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

verb tenses

We just finished dinner and my friend says:

Oh wow, now that was really great food! What have/had I been eating all this time?! Not that I had been starving, but it sure seemed like it.

Please proofread.

Thank you!!
  

Top answer

PreciousJones What have/had I been eating all this time?! This part is confusing. Why does your friend not know what he/she has been eating?

— CalifJim

  • PreciousJones What have/had I been eating all this time?!
  • This part is confusing.
  • Why does your friend not know what he/she has been eating?
  • It sounds like he/she was blindfolded and fed mystery food.
  • And then, I don't see what it has to do with the idea that it seemed like he/she was starving.
Free · every Monday

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
PreciousJonesWhat have/had I been eating all this time?!
This part is confusing. Why does your friend not know what he/she has been eating? It sounds like he/she was blindfolded and fed mystery food. And then, I don't see what it has to do with the idea that it seemed like he/she was starving. Are you sure this is what you intended to write?

CJ
0
0
CalifJim PreciousJonesWhat have/had I been eating all this time?!This part is confusing. Why does your friend not know what he/she has been eating? It sounds like he/she was blindfolded and fed mystery food. And then, I don't see what it has to do with the idea that it seemed like he/she was starving. Are you sure this is what you intended to write?CJ
I think
0
0
PreciousJonesI think he's just exaggerating and being sarcastic ...
OK. Anyway, I'd recommend 'have', not 'had'.

CJ
0
0
Have. The act of eating is just finishing. An hour, day or year later kne would ask "what had I been eating" although simpler (and simpler is better) would be to ask "What did I eat." The phrasing "had I been eating" suggests there will be some other event mentioned like "What had I been eating just before I threw up on your floor?" Of course in that case you'd be able to see what you'd just eate
0

Related Questions