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South Korea flagKim Jeong Uk
Which one of these is correct? He wasn't too happy when I came back a minute later with a box of jawbreakers. He wasn't too happy when I came back in a minute with a box of jawbreakers. He wasn't too happy when I came back after a minute with a box of jawbreakers. Among those three sentences, which one is correct, or the most commonly used?

Answers · 8

1
In the US we would say: He wasn't too happy when I came back a minute later with a box of jawbreakers.
0
the first and last sentence could be used because it says same meaning. the first sentence is more casual to hear.
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Number 2 doesn't sound quite right. Numbers 1 & 3 are both fine but I would use number 1 and I think most other English native speakers would also.
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Your comment is easy for me to understand:) Thank you Joellen.
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To my ear, either the first or the third ("a minute later" or "after a minute"). The second option would absolutely be understood, but it changes the tense to present for a moment, which jars the ear. I think "a minute later" would be most common and "after a minute" is more formal, perhaps how you'd do it in writing. Hope this helps! Happy learning!

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