we wait until the last moment before boarding

Share on Facebook

New2grammar

#525457 Tue, 10 Jun 08 05:20 PM

A: The train leaves in 10 minutes. Do you want to change his diaper before we board?

B: I'd just changed his diaper before we left home.

A: OK. I just wanted to make sure. Did you bring his toys?

B: Everything is in the bag, all his supplies and toys. When the train arrives, we wait until the last moment before boarding. Just to give the passengers around us a few more minutes of peace.

Are there any mistakes?

Thanks.

New2grammar

Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006

Veteran Member (7,670)

Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?

optilang

#525458 Tue, 10 Jun 08 05:27 PM

A: The train leaves in 10 minutes. Do you want to change his diaper before we board?

B: I'd just changed his diaper before we left home. - I changed his nappy just before we left home

A: OK. I just wanted to make sure. Did you bring his toys?

B: Everything is in the bag, all his supplies and toys. When the train arrives, we wait until the last moment before boarding. (Just to) (That will - just my suggestion as an alternative) give the passengers around us a few more minutes (of - optional, you can leave it out) peace.

optilang

Joined on Tue, May 13 2008

Poland

Senior Member (2,175)

OptiNative British English Speaker Wherever I may roam, I'm still a Londoner.

New2grammar

#525463 Tue, 10 Jun 08 05:35 PM

Thank you, Optilang.

I have only one question.

Is 'of' really optional? (of - optional, you can leave it out)

Can you give me other similar examples where 'of' is optional? I can't think of any. I've always thought it's mandatory.

New2grammar

optilang

#525468 Tue, 10 Jun 08 05:41 PM

Is 'of' really optional? (of - optional, you can leave it out)

Can you give me other similar examples where 'of' is optional? I can't think of any. I've always thought it's mandatory.

There is a standard English expression a minute's/ a few minutes peace.

"I need a few minutes peace before I set off on my journey"

"Please, just give me a few minutes peace"

Of course you can insert 'of' in the above, but this expression is frequently used without.

optilang

Expressions

New2grammar

#525476 Tue, 10 Jun 08 06:00 PM

It seems like 'of' may need to be replaced with an apostrophe.

a few minutes' peace

http://books.google.com.my/books?q=%22a+few+minutes+peace%22&um=1

New2grammar

Apostrophes

Yankee

#525478 Tue, 10 Jun 08 06:01 PM

Doesn't this follow the same pattern as in a month's time / in six months' time? An hour's notice / two hours' notice ?

By the way, the word 'diaper' is fine in AmE.
.

Yankee

Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006

Connecticut, USA

Senior Member (4,157)

Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain

optilang

#525484 Tue, 10 Jun 08 06:06 PM

If you do a search on google you will find it with and without the apostrophe. A grammar expert (which I'm not) will tell us if it is required. I must admit, I don't think that before today I'd ever written the phrase, but have said it many many times - in fact I'm still waiting for my few minutes' peace! Sleep