What's the correct answer?

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Bn77

#517297 Thu, 22 May 08 03:51 PM

M:Didn't you get my message?

W: What messsage?

M: Yesterday I asked your secretary to tell you to call me.

W: __

(a) Sorry, I just got back from a business trip.

(b) I knew you would be upset like that.

(d) It hasn't occurred to me.

why (c) can't be the right answer?

Bn77

Joined on Sun, Jun 3 2007

New Member (45)

RayH

#517313 Thu, 22 May 08 04:22 PM

Bn77
why (c) can't be the right answer?

It's unnecessarily abrupt (rude, even) and it implies that M is lying to W.
So, if that is W's intent then, and only then, could (c) be the correct answer.

RayH

Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008

CA, USA

Regular Member (796)

Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert.

Clive

#517653 Fri, 23 May 08 03:50 AM

Hi,

Yesterday I asked your secretary to tell you to call me.

As an aside to your discussion, note that this use of 'tell' implies that the person speaking has some authority over the person who is supposed to call. Even in that case, it's not the most polite term to use.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (22,568)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

Grammar Geek

#517665 Fri, 23 May 08 04:21 AM

An altnerative to thinking that the man is lying is that this is (perhaps yet more) proof at the incompetance of the secretary. But even so, you'd expect a bit more, like "I told her if she screwed up one more message, she was fired. She new she was on thin ice. I can't believe what you're telling me! You'd think she would have found me at once!"

Remember, tests ask for the BEST answer, not the ONLY answer. If you have to create an elaborate scenario (like I did, or infer that she thinks the man is lying) then it's probably not the best choice.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,098)

Barbara, who answers in American English.