Why use "was" here ?

Question

The sentence is

/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:????; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} I was wondering if the apartment on Main Street is still available.
the context is when someone is calling the landlord to ask about the apartment for rent.
My question is, why he says"i was wondering". As he uses the past tense, it seems he doesn't wonder now. But he is asking the question now. he still doesn't know the answer so he asks the landlord. why past tense here? Thank you

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Anonymous I was wondering if the apartment on Main Street is still available.
the context is when someone is calling the landlord to ask about the apartment for rent.
My question is, why he says"i was wondering". As he uses the past tense, it seems he doesn't wonder now. But he is asking the question now. he still doesn't know the answer so he asks the landlord. why past tense here?

It's an indirect style of asking a question. It seems more "tentative" than the present tense, and could not be taken as confrontational in any way.

Sometimes shy people who are unsure of themselves use this approach so they won't have to commit themselves until they're sure everything is "safe."

Sometimes the culture of a particular community favors this sort of approach.

Why use "was" here ?

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