correct phrasing

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Let's say you been waiting too long at a restaurant and want to check if your food is being prepared or not, and if not you wish to cancel your order,

Can I say 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave' ? (Should I insert a full stop after 'leave'?)

Is it correct to say "I ordered ... " (without a subject). Shouldn't it be "I ordered my food .. ". If not, then "I made my order ..."

Many thanks.

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In informal written and spoken English, in a context where it will be understood, e.g. when angrily addressing a waiter in a restaurant, everybody will know what is meant by "I ordered", and adding "my food" or "my meal" would be unnecessary and possibly viewed as pompous and pedantic. In formal written English, however, you should write it out in full.

You write "Can I say..." and ask about a full stop. Spoken English has no mechanism for inserting full stops!

I know it is common to use "say" when one means "write".

If, however, you are writing reported speech, then a full stop should appear before the closing quotation mark. (BrE convention)

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Many thanks.

So I was right in not inserting a full stop which is done by many people.

Best regards

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Quote:

So I was right in not inserting a full stop which is done by many people.

I don't understand what you are asking.

This sentence, when written out, of course needs punctuation such as a full stop at the end, like all sentences. Why did you think otherwise?

If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave.

You asked, "Can I say... and I was pointing out that when spoken it cannot have one, since full stops do not exist in spoken language, nor does punctuation of any kind!

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Hi Contrex

I'm a bit confused.

1. Can I say 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave.' ? ( a full stop has been inserted after 'leave'?)

2. Can I say 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave' ? (no full stop after 'leave')

Is the first sentence correct or the second?

My apologies for asking the same question so many times.

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I am confused too.

Here is the cause of my confusion:

You write "Can I say..." The verb "to say" means to speak, to utter with the mouth, to pronounce verbally. Yet you are asking a question which appears to be about a written sentence.

It is my opinion that accuracy and precision are virtues.

In my post above, I wrote the following:

Quote:

This sentence, when written out, of course needs punctuation such as a full stop at the end, like all sentences. Why did you think otherwise?

If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave.

I do not see what is unclear about that.

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1. Can I say 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave.' ? ( a full stop has been inserted after 'leave'?)

1. Can I WRITE 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave.' ? ( a full stop has been inserted after 'leave'?)

2. Can I say 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave' ? (no full stop after 'leave')
2. Can I WRITE 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave' ? (no full stop after 'leave')

...and why is there a questionmark after leave. This is not a question

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dadpad wrote:

1. Can I say "I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave." ? ( a full stop has been inserted after 'leave'?)

1. Can I WRITE "I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave." ? ( a full stop has been inserted after 'leave'?)

2. Can I say "I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave" ? (no full stop after 'leave')
2. Can I WRITE 'I ordered 45 minutes ago. If my meal doesn't arrive in the next five minutes, I'm afraid that I'll have to leave' ? (no full stop after 'leave')

...and why is there a question mark after leave. This is not a question.

Hi Contrex

In the first pair of sentences, (ignore the words in brackets) there is a full stop after 'leave'. In the second pair (ignore the words in brackets) there is no full stop.

My question is whether I should insert a full stop. I wonder, because the question mark is right at the end, whether a full stop before 'leave' is required.

I hope my question is clearer now.

Thank you very much.

Many thanks.

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Yes, a full stop is required to finish the last sentence of the material in quotation marks, about which the question "Can I say ... ?" is being asked.

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Hi Contrex

I'm indeed grateful to you for your help.

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correct phrasing

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