Difference

Question

That's who we've been missing.  AndThat's who we're missing.What's the difference between the two?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

PreciousJonesWhat's the difference between the two?

The verb tense is different in the clause.

That is who we are missing. (present progressive)

That is who we have been missing. (present perfect progressive)

Examples:

1. You are with eight friends. Ten people all agreed to meet for lunch and you are waiting in front of the restaurant.

You say to your friends, "Someone is not here yet. They are missing. I can't remember who all agreed to come."

One of your friends says, "I know. It's Sally. That is who we are missing."

You say, "That's right. She said she might be a little late. Let's wait for her."

2. You are eating lunch with eight friends. Ten people all agreed to meet for lunch.

You say to your friends, "Someone is not here. I thought ten of us were coming."

Your friends agree, but nobody can remember who else was coming. After some time, you see Sally coming. You say, "Oh, look, there's Sally. She's the one we have been missing."

Chivalry · Answer

PreciousJonesThat's who we've been missing. And That's who we're missing. What's the difference between the two?

I woundn't say that there's a SIGNIFICANT difference between these two.(They can both mean the same thing,

such as "missing for" somebody when s/he's not around or to simply having them not present at the moment)

but as in colloquialism,

The latter usually means that somebody isn't present at the moment while the former means that they're missing "for"

someone who's not around for probaby a pretty long time.

CalifJim · Answer

X = the present moment

X

...................................( - - we're missing - -)............

X

..... - - - - - - - we've been missing - -]..........................

CJ

Chivalry · Answer

CalifJimX = the present moment X...................................( - - we're missing - -)............ X..... - - - - - - - we've been missing - -].......................... CJ

I have no idea what this is trying to convey at all.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

CJ is indicating the speaker's relative present time with the X, and the progression of time (past->present->future) by the dashes. He shows the difference in the time frame of the present progressive and the present perfect progressive.

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