subhajit123
Banned
- Joined
- May 27, 2017
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Hindi
- Home Country
- India
- Current Location
- India
Hi everyone If someone asks me 'are you tired', can I reply him 'yes, I'm very tired. I was doing my homework'
"I was doing my home work." puts the 'doing' in the past, but a rather indefinite past. Were you doing your homework immediately before the question was asked, as the question is being asked, or at some time much earlier? The homework is not definitely connected with the tiredness. I recommend: 'Yes, I'm very tired. I have been doing my homework.'
Thank you! What you wrote above is actually what my grammar book says. But if I reply in past continuous tense, will I be wrong?
It would be a non sequitur - a statement which doesn't follow from the previous statement.
If doing your homework is what made you tired, you should use the present perfect as your grammar book suggests.
I made a mistake. The tense I referred to is the present perfect continuous.Now it's clear.:-o
But if I reply in past continuous tense, will I be wrong?
I wouldn't say so.
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