Writeacher, can you check these statements, please? Thank you.
1) Is it possible to use the expression "lose the bus"?
I know one should say "miss the bus" but I just wanted to know if "lose" is a mistake.
2) Things are getting better since the government introduced the bag tax.
Indirect speech: He said that things were getting better since they government had introduced the bag tax.
3) He had to park his car in a metred space but he realized he didn't have enough coins (on him?).
4) So it took him time to find a cafè where he could have his money changed. He is not going to cut it so close for his next interview.
5) You needn't have phoned me. It wasn't necessary for you to phone me.
(but you did)
You didn't have to phone me (you didn't phone me)
1. "lose" wouldst be a mistake, yes!
In 2, use "the" instead of "they."
4. ... where he could get some change. ("change" refers to coins instead of bills)
All the rest is fine.
*would* (my typo!)
1) The expression "lose the bus" is not commonly used in English. The correct phrase to use is "miss the bus." However, it is important to note that language is fluid and can evolve over time, so it is possible that "lose the bus" could become accepted in the future. But for now, it is considered incorrect.
2) In indirect speech, we report what someone said without using their exact words. The sentence "He said that things were getting better since the government had introduced the bag tax" accurately reflects the indirect speech form of the original statement.
3) In the sentence, "He had to park his car in a metred space, but he realized he didn't have enough coins," the phrase "on him" is not necessary. It is implied that he didn't have enough coins on his person. However, if you want to clarify that he didn't have enough coins with him at that moment, you can include "on him."
4) The sentence, "So it took him time to find a café where he could have his money changed. He is not going to cut it so close for his next interview," is grammatically correct. It suggests that because he took a long time to find a café and exchange his money, he will be more cautious and allow more time for his next interview.
5) Both sentences accurately convey the same meaning. The first sentence, "You needn't have phoned me. It wasn't necessary for you to phone me," indicates that although the person phoned, it wasn't necessary. The second sentence, "You didn't have to phone me," suggests that the person didn't phone at all.