Jose Carillo's English Forum

English Grammar and Usage Problems => Use and Misuse => Topic started by: Ned on November 16, 2011, 11:05:51 PM

Title: Understanding correction
Post by: Ned on November 16, 2011, 11:05:51 PM

I wrote a bit of dialogue ("God, what have I done?") in a fiction piece that was returned with the following note: You have a past participle without an auxiliary verb.  I am having trouble understanding the apparent error.  Would you help, please?

Title: Re: Understanding correction
Post by: Joe Carillo on November 16, 2011, 11:43:28 PM

I don't see a past participle in the single line of dialogue you quoted here. Perhaps the editor who went over your fiction piece was referring to some other part of the dialogue. I might be able to help you if you can send me the complete dialogue. You need not post it here in the discussion board; you may send it to the "My Messages" section to keep your inquiry private. 

Title: Re: Understanding correction
Post by: Ned on November 16, 2011, 11:49:43 PM

The entire line is,
Clara was crying now, “God, what have I done?  Please, Edward, I really and truly am sorry.”
If you need more, please let me know.  Thanks

Title: Re: Understanding correction
Post by: Joe Carillo on November 17, 2011, 12:42:23 AM

Ned, I still can't see the grammar problem from the single line of dialogue you provided. Why don't you send me your fiction piece by e-mail? To get my e-mail address, simply click this link to the page where you can find it (http://josecarilloforum.com/aboutjoe.html).