Sentence correction

Question

Hi,I was/have been busy the whole day and hadn't/haven't gotten a chance to check my email   until now.  Can I instead give you a call tmrw between 10am-2pm or   please tell me when it's convenient to call you.  Looking forward to   hearing from you.Please correct sentences above.  Thank you.

KrisBlueNZ · Accepted Answer

PreciousJonesHi, I was/have been busy the whole day and hadn't/haven't gotten a chance to check my email until now. Can I instead give you a call tmrw between 10am-2pm or please tell me when it's convenient to call you. Looking forward to
hearing from you.

"Hi, I HAVE BEEN busy the whole day and HAVEN'T HAD a chance to check my email until now. Can I give you a call tomorrow between 10 am and 2 pm INSTEAD? Looking forward to hearing from you."
HAD instead of GOTTEN is maybe more of a style preference, but I think GOTTEN is inappropriate. Perhaps an American can comment.
I moved the INSTEAD to the end of the question. "CAN I INSTEAD ..." is valid, but quite formal.

When you're writing number ranges, like the time range in the second sentence, there are
several approaches. I will use an example number range of "2 TO 4 INCLUSIVE". INCLUSIVE means that the range INCLUDES the numbers at the ends of the range, so, assuming whole numbers only, this range contains the numbers 2, 3 and 4.
"BETWEEN 2 AND 4" - If you use BETWEEN, you must use AND in between the numbers. This sentence isn't explicit because it doesn't say whether the end numbers (2 and 4) are included in the range. Strictly speaking, the only number BETWEEN 2 and 4 is 3, but usually, "BETWEEN 2 AND 4" is intended to INCLUDE the end numbers.
"FROM 2 TO 4" - Likewise, if you use FROM, you must use TO in between the numbers. This number range is also taken to include the end numbers, so "FROM 2 TO 4" means 2, 3 or 4. You can add "INCLUSIVE" at the end to make it clear that the range INCLUDES 2 and 4.

"2-4" - Here the dash means "TO", and it means the same as "FROM 2 TO 4", but you shouldn't use FROM, i.e. you shouldn't say "FROM 2-4". I do see this sometimes, but it grates on me. The proper way to use the dasy is: "I have answered pages 2-4 of the assignment". When you read it aloud, you say "2 TO 4", but you don't use FROM.

Also as a style issue, numbers below 11 are often spelt out, since this makes the sentence flow more smoothly (it's more comfortable to read). The rules vary though. For example, you see old computer equipment being called "8-bit". I would only spell out "eight-bit" if it was at the start of a sentence.
HTH KrisBlueNZ

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