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Hoister Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
I'm only getting voicemail (Coninuous Tense Question)
"You need to warn your friend Ric what's happening with this private investigation business. I've already called Ellie--twice. But I'm only getting voicemail and she hasn't returned my calls.
Background: I'm chatting with my husband by phone and the above setences are part of the dialogue.
Hi, I don't understand the use of Continuous Tense "getting voicemail". "I" have already made the phone call twice and I have gotten her voicemail twice, right? But why getting voicemail is used here?
Background: I'm chatting with my husband by phone and the above setences are part of the dialogue.
Hi, I don't understand the use of Continuous Tense "getting voicemail". "I" have already made the phone call twice and I have gotten her voicemail twice, right? But why getting voicemail is used here?
Top answer
"getting" makes the events seem more relevant to the present situation, as if they are ongoing rather than historical. It also suggests that the same thing is happening repeatedly, and/or will happen again repeatedly.
- "getting" makes the events seem more relevant to the present situation, as if they are ongoing rather than historical.
- It also suggests that the same thing is happening repeatedly, and/or will happen again repeatedly.
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3 Answers
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"getting" makes the events seem more relevant to the present situation, as if they are ongoing rather than historical. It also suggests that the same thing is happening repeatedly, and/or will happen again repeatedly.
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Thanks for your help.
So, "have been getting voicemail" would be less relevant to the present situation than "am getting voicemail", right?
Do you think "have been getting" also make sense too, even though it's a bit historical and less relevant?
So, "have been getting voicemail" would be less relevant to the present situation than "am getting voicemail", right?
Do you think "have been getting" also make sense too, even though it's a bit historical and less relevant?
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HoisterSo, "have been getting voicemail" would be less relevant to the present situation than "am getting voicemail", right?There's not a huge difference in this respect because the present perfect ("have been") also brings events up to the present. "I'm getting voicemail" is like the speaker is visualising what would happen if/when they call, as if it was ha
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