HI

Hi,

If someone says are you coming?

Can I reply with:

Yes I'm coming! or Yes I'm going!

Since to come is a subjective way of saying to go, it wouldn't make sense to say yes I'm coming, right?

The standard response is 'Yes, I'm coming' or simply 'Yes, I am'. There's no need to change the frame of reference.



Clive

Anonymousit wouldn't make sense to say yes I'm coming, right?

Strictly speaking, you're right. In fact, in some languages (for example, Spanish) the answer is the more technically correct "I'm going", but in English we say, contrary to logic, "Yes, I'm coming".

CJ

Hi,

You might also like to consider that 'Are you coming?' can be said by someone standing beside you, or by someone far away, eg via the telephone. In both cases, there is some form of proximity established between the two people when the words are spoken.

Best wishs, Clive