Grammar

[puzzle]

I saw this from a movie:
When a guest arrives at a party, the hostess says:" I was glad you could come."

I.Why does not the hostess use the present tense " I am glad you could come"?
II. Does it mean in this case the past tense is more polite than the present tense?
Please.

[Anglika]

We would need the full setting of the scene to answer that. It could relate to something that happened before the party.

Normally "I am" would be the tense.

[puzzle]

Thank you.
When we ask sb's job, can we say" what did you do", not " what do you do?"
Please.

[Anglika]

Only if you are asking about what work they used to do {maybe they have retired}. If they are working now, you have to ask "What do you do?"