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 #2 (permalink) Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:50 am Expecting a baby |
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The idiom is expecting a baby-- meaning that she is pregnant. Late night telephone calls are not made in order to inform others that one is merely waiting for another person to bring a baby to one's house ('awaiting a baby').
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 Mister Micawber
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| #3 (permalink) Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:03 am Expecting a baby |
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Can "giving a baby" be an option in this case? Thanks.
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Hieupt
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| #4 (permalink) Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:13 am Expecting a baby |
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No. What do you think 'giving a baby' could mean, Hieu Phan?
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| #5 (permalink) Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:30 am Expecting a baby |
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| Mister Micawber wrote: |
| No. What do you think 'giving a baby' could mean, Hieu Phan? |
I meant "giving birth". But now I think I'm wrong...
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Hieupt
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| #6 (permalink) Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:40 am Expecting a baby |
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Yes, 'giving birth to' is OK, but just 'giving' is not enough.
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| #7 (permalink) Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:57 am Expecting a baby |
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Verb tense usages in the sentence are grammatically problematic. Right?
Should it be "Mary was expecting a baby"?
I think the whole sentence must be in past tense. |
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Oad
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| #8 (permalink) Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:02 pm Expecting a baby |
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It is not necessary to regress the dependent verb (though it more usually is done) if the action still obtains at the time of utterance. In this case, we presume that Mary is still expecting the baby 'now', i.e at the time the sentence was uttered, so the present tense is fine, though your option is also good.
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| #9 (permalink) Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:02 pm Expecting a baby |
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| Oad wrote: |
| I think the whole sentence must be in past tense. |
The conversation on the phone went down last night, so Mary must still be expecting, she couldn't have given birth overnight (at least the author of the sentense thinks so)
That is why the present tense is used.
PS:
Hi MM,
I didn't see your comment when I opened the thread, sorry (and this forum won't let me delete my post).
=)
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