Tense nuances: aspect, distance and politeness
I've been meaning to, I was wondering, he was to become, the present perfect in the news.
| Use | Example | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| past for politeness | I was wondering if you could help me. | more polite than «I wonder» |
| continuous for politeness | I'm hoping you can come. | less direct than «I hope» |
| unfulfilled intention | I've been meaning to call you. | I've wanted to for a while |
| future in the past (destiny) | He was to become president. | we now know it happened |
| cancelled plan | I was going to call, but I forgot. | the plan didn't happen |
| news present perfect | The Prime Minister has resigned. | fresh news, then past simple for details |
| headline present | Man bites dog. | newspaper headlines use the present |
Test yourself
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Make it more polite: Can you lend me your car?
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I was wondering if you could lend me your car. -
Say you've wanted to write for weeks but haven't.
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I've been meaning to write to you for weeks. -
Express future in the past: he became famous later.
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He was to become famous. -
Complete: I ___ tell you, but I forgot. (cancelled plan)
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was going to