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Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
A polite expression with 'past tense' or 'progressive tense'
source : Oxford Practical English Usage 3rd Edition
For a polite expression, The source say there are formulas like as :
I wondered~, I thought~, I hoped~, did you want~, I'm hoping ~, I'm looking forward to ~,
I was wondering~, I was thinking~ ...
and, The following sentences are enumerated as examples.
I wondered if you were free this evening.
I thought you might like some flowers.
I was thinking about that idea of yours.
I was hoping we could have dinner together.
I'm hoping you can lend me $10.
I'm looking forward to seeing you again.
Did you want cream with you coffee, sir?
How much did you want to spend, sir?
How many days did you intend to stay?
What time are you planning to arrive?
I'm afraid we must be going.
Were you looking for anything special?
It seems like that this method is used mostly in a subject clause of a indirect question or in a direct question,
that this method is used in a dependent clause.
What formulas to enable us to use this usage are there or, are there the verbs permitted to use this usage?
For a polite expression, The source say there are formulas like as :
I wondered~, I thought~, I hoped~, did you want~, I'm hoping ~, I'm looking forward to ~,
I was wondering~, I was thinking~ ...
and, The following sentences are enumerated as examples.
I wondered if you were free this evening.
I thought you might like some flowers.
I was thinking about that idea of yours.
I was hoping we could have dinner together.
I'm hoping you can lend me $10.
I'm looking forward to seeing you again.
Did you want cream with you coffee, sir?
How much did you want to spend, sir?
How many days did you intend to stay?
What time are you planning to arrive?
I'm afraid we must be going.
Were you looking for anything special?
It seems like that this method is used mostly in a subject clause of a indirect question or in a direct question,
that this method is used in a dependent clause.
What formulas to enable us to use this usage are there or, are there the verbs permitted to use this usage?
Top answer
I think the book gives good advice. It's hard to give a comprehensive list of these formulae, as they are so many and so varied. For instance I was thinking about that idea of yours might also be expressed I have been thinking about that idea of yours .
- I think the book gives good advice.
- It's hard to give a comprehensive list of these formulae, as they are so many and so varied.
- For instance I was thinking about that idea of yours might also be expressed I have been thinking about that idea of yours .
- Both would alert the listener to the possibility that the speaker was going to criticise or amend the suggestion.
- My advice, Park Sang Joon, for what it's worth, is to learn the formulae in the book; that way you'll have a bank of polite expressions to use and you won't be surprised if you come across a similar expression on the lips of a native speaker.
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2 Answers
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I think the book gives good advice.
It's hard to give a comprehensive list of these formulae, as they are so many and so varied. For instance I was thinking about that idea of yours might also be expressed I have been thinking about that idea of yours. Both would alert the listener to the possibility t
It's hard to give a comprehensive list of these formulae, as they are so many and so varied. For instance I was thinking about that idea of yours might also be expressed I have been thinking about that idea of yours. Both would alert the listener to the possibility t
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