Regrets Having Said That
Explora cómo los gerundios perfectos expresan arrepentimiento, negación y disculpas por acciones anteriores, incluidas las diferencias sutiles en cuanto al momento y la responsabilidad.
Preview
Questions with solutions-
1. Completa el espacio en blanco.
I regret ___ that remark during yesterday's meeting; it was needlessly harsh.
- having make
- having made
- had made
El comentario precedió a la expresión de arrepentimiento.
Show solution
I regret having made that remark during yesterday's meeting; it was needlessly harsh.
El gerundio perfecto usa "having" más un participio pasado para referirse a una acción anterior.
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2. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué cuestiona Noah?
Noah admitted having read the draft but denied having circulated it.
- That he read the draft.
- That the draft existed.
- That he passed the draft on to others.
Show solution
- That he passed the draft on to others.
"Denied having circulated it" indica que Noah rechaza esa afirmación; no establece si su desmentido es cierto.
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3. Completa el espacio en blanco.
I apologize ___ having interrupted you before you could finish your objection.
- for
- to
- of
El espacio en blanco introduce la acción que motivó la disculpa.
Show solution
I apologize for having interrupted you before you could finish your objection.
Usamos "for" al disculparnos por una acción y "to" al disculparnos ante una persona: "I apologize to you for having interrupted."
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4. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué enunciado conserva tanto la referencia temporal como la actitud del hablante?
I told the client yesterday, but I wish I had waited.
- I regret to tell the client that the decision has changed.
- I regret that I will have to tell the client soon.
- I regret having told the client so soon.
Show solution
- I regret having told the client so soon.
"Regret having told" se refiere a algo que se reveló anteriormente. "Regret to tell" suele introducir una noticia desagradable que se está comunicando ahora.
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5. Completa el espacio en blanco.
The committee's report named only the consultant, although the decision had been collective. The consultant regretted ___ as solely responsible.
- having portrayed
- having been portraying
- having been portrayed
El consultor recibió este trato en lugar de aplicarlo.
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The committee's report named only the consultant, although the decision had been collective. The consultant regretted having been portrayed as solely responsible.
"Having been portrayed" es un gerundio perfecto en voz pasiva: la acción anterior afectó al consultor.
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6. Completa el espacio en blanco.
I stayed silent when the allegation first surfaced. I regret ___ it then.
- having challenged
- not having challenged
- not having challenge
La persona que habla desearía haber actuado en lugar de permanecer en silencio.
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I stayed silent when the allegation first surfaced. I regret not having challenged it then.
"Not having challenged" expresa arrepentimiento por una omisión: algo que la persona que habla no hizo.
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7. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué expresaría la misma disculpa en un tono más conversacional?
I apologize for having dismissed your concerns without examining the evidence.
- I'm sorry I brushed aside your concerns before checking the evidence.
- I'm sorry you dismissed my concerns without checking the evidence.
- I'm sorry I checked the evidence before dismissing your concerns.
Show solution
- I'm sorry I brushed aside your concerns before checking the evidence.
"I'm sorry I..." expresa la misma admisión de manera menos formal. La persona que habla sigue aceptando la responsabilidad por haber desestimado las preocupaciones sin verificarlas primero.
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8. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué afirma el hablante acerca de esa responsabilidad?
It was my job to warn the volunteers, and I deny having failed to do so.
- The speaker accepts that the volunteers received no warning.
- The speaker denies being responsible for warning the volunteers.
- The speaker promises to warn the volunteers later.
- The speaker claims to have fulfilled the duty to warn the volunteers.
La afirmación que se rechaza se refiere a un incumplimiento, no a la advertencia en sí.
Show solution
- The speaker claims to have fulfilled the duty to warn the volunteers.
Al negar "having failed", se rechaza la afirmación de que se incumplió el deber. Aquí, el hablante afirma haber dado la advertencia.
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9. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Cuál es el orden cronológico, de lo más antiguo a lo más reciente?
Looking back on the inquiry, Dana recalled that the director had apologized for having withheld the report.
- Apologizing, withholding the report, Dana's recollection.
- Withholding the report, apologizing, Dana's recollection.
- Dana's recollection, withholding the report, apologizing.
- Withholding the report, Dana's recollection, apologizing.
Cada forma verbal de perfecto mira hacia atrás desde un punto diferente de la narración.
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- Withholding the report, apologizing, Dana's recollection.
"Having withheld" sitúa la acción de retener antes de la disculpa; "had apologized" sitúa la disculpa antes del recuerdo de Dana.
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10. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué acepta el supervisor mientras cuestiona una acusación distinta?
The supervisor denied having authorized the release but apologized for having been unclear about who could approve it.
- Responsibility for approving the release, but not for giving unclear guidance.
- That unclear guidance caused the release, but not that anyone approved it.
- Responsibility for unclear guidance, but not for authorizing the release.
- That the release was authorized, but not that it actually took place.
Show solution
- Responsibility for unclear guidance, but not for authorizing the release.
Una disculpa puede reconocer una falta sin admitir una acusación distinta. La declaración también deja sin especificar la causa real de la liberación.