PAST TENSES FOR DISTANCING

·                Past tenses are sometimes used instead of present tenses when we want to sound less direct, and therefore more polite. We use past tenses in this way when asking a question or making a request.

·                The past simple is used instead of the present simple.

Did you want to add anything to the discussion?

(=’do you want to …?’)

Did you have a particular present in mind?

(=’do you have … in mind?’)

·                The past continuous is used instead of the present continuous with verbs such as hope, think and wonder.

Were you hoping to travel to Scotland on this visit?

(=’are you hoping to …?’)

What were you thinking of buying Jack for his birthday?

(=’what are you thinking of …?’)

·                Sometimes a sentence beginning with a past tense for distancing purposes contains a second clause. If so, the verb in the second clause is usually in a present tense, because we are asking someone about a present or future situation.

Were you hoping to travel to Scotland while you’re visiting the UK?

NOT Were you hoping to travel to Scotland while you were visiting the UK?

·                Another way to use distancing language is to introduce a question or request with the verb wonder in the past continuous. The question or request can be direct or indirect. Direct questions must follow a colon.

I was wondering: is there a picnic area around here?

We were wondering if you want to travel with us.

·                In an indirect question following was I were wondering, we can use the past simple to add another layer of distancing.

We were wondering if you wanted to travel with us.

·                We can use wonder in the past simple too, but the verb in the indirect question is usually in the past simple.

We wondered if you wanted to travel with us.