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Tenacious Learner Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
What/Where was ...? Both possible
Hi teachers,
Context- Peter has just arrived at the doctor's office.
Secretary: Your doctor is attending someone else at the moment.
Question: Are both possible?
a) What was his doctor doing when he arrived at the office?
b) Where was his doctor when he arrived at the office?
Attending someone else.
Thanks in advance.
Context- Peter has just arrived at the doctor's office.
Secretary: Your doctor is attending someone else at the moment.
Question: Are both possible?
a) What was his doctor doing when he arrived at the office?
b) Where was his doctor when he arrived at the office?
Attending someone else.
Thanks in advance.
Top answer
"
- "
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8 Answers
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It would be better to use Peter in the questions rather than the pronoun "he."
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AlpheccaStarsIt would be better to use Peter in the questions rather than the pronoun "he."Hi Alphecca
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Tenacious LearnerHi teachers,Context- Peter has just arrived at the doctor's office.Secretary: Your doctor is attending someone else at the moment.Question: Are both possible?a) What was his doctor doing when he arrived at the office?b) Where was his doctor when he arrived at the office?Attending someone else.Thanks in advance.'attending someone else' is a 'w
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canadian45'attending someone else' is a 'what', not a 'where'.Hi,
Isn't it?
TL
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Tenacious is a 'what', not a 'where'.'attending someone else' is most definitely a 'what'. Also consider the following.
Hi,Isn't it?TL
The doctor is almost certainly attending someone in one of several examing rooms, but we don't know which one. And it is even possible, although of course very unlikey, that he is attending someone w
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canadian45So the "Where" option is not remotely as good as the "What" option!Hi,
Very good reasoning! Nothing to say.
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Secretary: Your doctor is attending someone else at the moment.
This is the kind of stiff sentence that only appears in text-books.
Much more natural is
eg The doctor is busy right now.
eg The doctor is with someone else.
This is the kind of stiff sentence that only appears in text-books.
Much more natural is
eg The doctor is busy right now.
eg The doctor is with someone else.
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CliveThis is the kind of stiff sentence that only appears in text-books.Hi Clive,
Thanks for your sentences!
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