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delayed ... in

English translation: sorry for the delay in ...

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:sorry for having delayed in ...
Selected answer:sorry for the delay in ...
Entered by: jrb

16:17 May 22, 2005
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics
English term or phrase: delayed ... in
I feel so sorry for having delayed so long in sending my documents for xxxx to you

Is the " delayed ... in " structure" used correctly here?TIA!!!
Jianming Sun
Local time: 15:51
I am so sorry for the (long) delay...
Explanation:
My suggestion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 34 mins (2005-05-22 16:52:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or \"I am very sorry...\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 hrs 42 mins (2005-05-23 09:00:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just to clarify (which I\'m sure is unnecessary), \"having delayed so long in sending\" is not wrong exactly, but it\'s not how English speakers would usually say it - we would use \"the delay in sending\". In short, it\'s more a question of idiom/style than grammar.

And Rita is right that \"I feel sorry\" should be \"I am sorry\" or \"I apologise\" in this usage.

I hope this helps! :)


Selected response from:

jrb
Local time: 08:51
Grading comment
Thank you all for help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +8I am so sorry for the (long) delay...
jrb
4ok, but sound more fluent to say "for having taken so long...
Carmen Schultz
4yes it is
Balasubramaniam L.
4below
Aimee
4 -1I apologize for having delayed the sending my documents for xxxx to you
airmailrpl


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
ok, but sound more fluent to say "for having taken so long...


Explanation:
"for having taken so long" sounds more chatty/casual. If the text is formal, then delay is ok.

Carmen Schultz
Local time: 02:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
yes it is


Explanation:
Your delayed .... in construction is grammatically correct.

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 13:21
Native speaker of: Native in HindiHindi
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  jrb: ... but not idiomatic, i.e. how English speakers would say it
7 hrs
  -> No idiom is involved here. It is straightforward English.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
below


Explanation:
I am very sorry that it took me such a long time to send my documents..
or
I apologize for being delayed in sending my documents.

I apologize, perhaps would sound more formal.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 hrs 42 mins (2005-05-23 06:00:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

About your question, yes it is correct, however \"delayed so long\" with the rest of the sentence just sounds a bit awkward IMO.

Aimee
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Alan Thompson: Sorry Aimee, this is not very idiomatic.
1 hr
  -> thanks for your opinion :)
agree  Balasubramaniam L.: With the first option. But the question was about the use of "delayed ... in".
7 hrs
  -> thank you :)
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
I am so sorry for the (long) delay...


Explanation:
My suggestion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 34 mins (2005-05-22 16:52:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or \"I am very sorry...\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 hrs 42 mins (2005-05-23 09:00:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just to clarify (which I\'m sure is unnecessary), \"having delayed so long in sending\" is not wrong exactly, but it\'s not how English speakers would usually say it - we would use \"the delay in sending\". In short, it\'s more a question of idiom/style than grammar.

And Rita is right that \"I feel sorry\" should be \"I am sorry\" or \"I apologise\" in this usage.

I hope this helps! :)




jrb
Local time: 08:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Thank you all for help!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  RHELLER: "I am sorry" is better than "I feel sorry" (also correct)
1 min
  -> thanks Rita
agree  cmwilliams (X)
4 mins
  -> thanks!
agree  Patricia Baldwin
8 mins
  -> thanks Patricia
agree  Robert Donahue (X)
26 mins
  -> thanks Robert
agree  rangepost
57 mins
  -> thanks!
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
58 mins
  -> thanks Marju
agree  Alan Thompson: Or, "please accept my apologies..."
2 hrs
  -> thanks - and yes, indeed, another perfectly fine option
agree  Refugio
4 hrs
  -> thanks Ruth
neutral  Balasubramaniam L.: The question was about the use of "delayed....in"
11 hrs
  -> yes, I can see that; the point of my suggestion was to indicate that the meaning is more commonly and naturally expressed by changing the verb to a noun - surely I couldn't just have written "not really" in the answer box?!
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
I apologize for having delayed the sending my documents for xxxx to you


Explanation:
I apologize for having delayed the sending my documents for xxxx to you

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 17 hrs 36 mins (2005-05-25 09:54:28 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

I apologize for having delayed the sending (OF) my documents for xxxx to you


airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 04:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  cmwilliams (X): this doesn't sound right to me in English - delayed the sending my...?
3 hrs
  -> corrected
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