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Hanuman_2000 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Wonder
Hello,
1. I wonder if you have typed correctly.
2. I am wondering if you have typed correctly.
3. I was wondering if you have typed correctly.
In my dictionary, it is written that we use "I wonder " for asking questions in a polite way.
I am confused with the usage of the past tense such as (3). The past tense in (3) has some particular meaning.
I would also like to know the differences between "I wonder" and "I am wondering".
The same construction is also possible for " I hope" for making polite request.
4. I hope you can help me.
5. I am hoping you can help me.
6. I was hoping you could help me.
Thanks.
1. I wonder if you have typed correctly.
2. I am wondering if you have typed correctly.
3. I was wondering if you have typed correctly.
In my dictionary, it is written that we use "I wonder " for asking questions in a polite way.
I am confused with the usage of the past tense such as (3). The past tense in (3) has some particular meaning.
I would also like to know the differences between "I wonder" and "I am wondering".
The same construction is also possible for " I hope" for making polite request.
4. I hope you can help me.
5. I am hoping you can help me.
6. I was hoping you could help me.
Thanks.
Top answer
hanuman_2000 1. I wonder if you have typed correctly. hanuman_2000 2.
- hanuman_2000 1.
- I wonder if you have typed correctly.
- hanuman_2000 2.
- I am wondering if you have typed correctly.
- hanuman_2000 3.
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3 Answers
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hanuman_20001. I wonder if you have typed correctly.
hanuman_20002. I am wondering if you have typed correctly.
hanuman_20003. I was wondering if you have typed correctly.Numbers 1, 2, and 3 are successively less direct and therefore successively more polite.
The same is true o
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hanuman_2000I am confused with the usage of the past tense such as (3). The past tense in (3) has some particular meaning.This usage of the past tense is sometimes called "the past of politeness".
Were you planning on eating the rest of your dessert? (suggests I'll eat it if you don't want it!)
CJ
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This is slightly off-topic, but I think the label 'past' is not very helpful In English for tenses and aspects bearing it. I think of it as a 'distancing' tense. It distances in:
Time: I live in Prague now - I lived in Jinzhou in 2002
Vividness: Peter walks up to the guard and punches him - Peter walked up to the guard and punched him.
Directness: I wonder if
Time: I live in Prague now - I lived in Jinzhou in 2002
Vividness: Peter walks up to the guard and punches him - Peter walked up to the guard and punched him.
Directness: I wonder if
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