C421. CTLR DID NOT APPEAR TO KNOW HE HAD NOT CLRED THE PLT INTO A HOLDING PATTERN. HOLDING CLRNC WAS NEVER ISSUED.

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AFTER RADAR VECTORS AROUND HOU CLASS B AIRSPACE; I WAS CLRED TO SCHOLES VOR DIRECT. WHILE ON THIS COURSE; HOU APCH CTL ADVISED THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO HOLD AND IF SO; I SHOULD HOLD NW OF SWANE; R TURNS; AND EFC AT AB20. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I WAS ACTUALLY TOLD TO HOLD AND IN FACT HEARD THE CTLR CONFIRM THAT THE ACFT AHEAD OF ME HAD CLRED THE RWY AT GLS. I AM VMC AT 2100 FT MSL ABOUT 2-3 MI NW OF GLS WHEN THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I WAS HOLDING. I ADVISED 'NO' AND THAT I HAD GLS IN SIGHT AND WOULD CANCEL IFR. HE HANDED ME OFF AND A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WERE MADE. HE DID NOT SEEM PERTURBED; BUT I DON'T BELIEVE HE WOULD HAVE ASKED IF I WAS HOLDING IF HE DID NOT EXPECT THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THAT CONCERNS ME; AS I HAD EVEN ASKED A SECOND TIME TO REPEAT THE HOLD INSTRUCTIONS AND WAS ADVISED THAT I WAS 'GETTING A HEADS UP ON A HOLD SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY' AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING AND THE WAY I WILL AVOID (TRY) IN THE FUTURE IS TO CLARIFY (WHICH I DID IN THIS CASE AND AM STILL NOT SURE THAT I VIOLATED A CLRNC).