The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

[Rachel Adams]

The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Can I use both "hope" and "hoping" in #2, and in #5 both doing/do and tell/telling?

2. "We hope/are hoping you are enjoying this marvelous weather as much as we are."

5. "I think you are doing/do the right thing but I doubt your boss really knows his job from what you tell/are telling me."

If "hope" when used in the progressive suggests that the speaker isn't sure, does the sentence #2 suggest the speaker isn't confident?
"Longman English Grammar Practice" by L. G. Alexander.

 

[GoesStation]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Yes to the first question in #2. No in #5.

For the second question, I wouldn't say they aren't confident. Either tense means they're hopeful.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Yes to the first question in #2. No in #5.

For the second question, I wouldn't say they aren't confident. Either tense means they're hopeful.

Do you mean in sentence #5 only "telling" and "doing" work because it's a current situation?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Can I use both "hope" and "hoping" in #2, and in #5 both doing/do and tell/telling?

2. "We hope/are hoping you are enjoying this marvelous weather as much as we are."

Both are correct and mean the same thing.

"We hope" is more natural than "We are hoping."

5. "I think you are doing[STRIKE]/do[/STRIKE] the right thing, but I doubt your boss really knows his job, from what you tell/are telling me."

You can use either "from what you tell me" or "from what you're telling me." Both are natural, and they mean the same thing.

If "hope" when used in the progressive suggests that the speaker isn't sure,

Hope can suggest the speaker is unsure in both the simple present and in the progressive. In this context, however, it's just a pleasantry.

In any case, the tense doesn't change the meaning of the word.

does the sentence #2 suggest the speaker isn't confident?

No. It's simply a way of wishing someone well.

The word hope doesn't always express worry or concern.

 

[GoesStation]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Do you mean in sentence #5 only "telling" and "doing" work because it's a current situation?

I suppose so. As a native speaker I don't generally think about why I choose a given tense, aspect and mood. It just happens on its own, so to speak.

This is possible:

"I think you do the right thing whenever possible. But from what you tell me, I doubt your boss really knows his job."

The present simple tells us you're referring to a habitual or repeated action.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

The word hope doesn't always express worry or concern.

The book's explanation is not quite clear. ( I don't remember which book mentions it).Perhaps it's just the author's personal opinion that "is hoping" expresses that the speaker is unsure. But you said it doesn't always express worry or concern so it depends on context, doesn't it?

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

I suppose so. As a native speaker I don't generally think about why I choose a given tense, aspect and mood. It just happens on its own, so to speak.

This is possible:

"I think you do the right thing whenever possible. But from what you tell me, I doubt your boss really knows his job."

The present simple tells us you're referring to a habitual or repeated action.

I see. I also understand "tell me" and "do" in your sentences to refer to facts. Aren't they also facts?

 

[GoesStation]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

I also understand "tell me" and "do" in your sentences to refer to facts. Aren't they also facts?

Sorry, I don't understand the question.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Sorry, I don't understand the question.

Sorry. In post #5 you said that "The present simple tells us you're referring to a habitual or repeated action". Would it be wrong to say that in your example "do" and "tell" refer to facts?

"I think you do the right thing whenever possible. But from what you tell me, I doubt your boss really knows his job."

 

[GoesStation]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Would it be wrong to say that in your example "do" and "tell" refer to facts?

"I think you do the right thing whenever possible. But from what you tell me, I doubt your boss really knows his job."

You've repeated the question with nearly the same words. I still don't get exactly what you're asking. "Do" refers to the subject "you" and the object phrase that follows it (if I have the grammar right). The speaker is stating a firm opinion.

The second sentence is about something factual: "what you tell me".

 

[Yankee]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Can I use both "hope" and "hoping" in #2, and in #5 both doing/do and tell/telling?

2. "We hope/are hoping you are enjoying this marvelous weather as much as we are."

I would use "hope" as a general wish/expectation for your enjoyment. I would use "are hoping" as suggesting that there might be some possibility/reason that the person is not enjoying.


5. "I think you are doing/do the right thing but I doubt your boss really knows his job from what you tell/are telling me."

"I think you are doing (presently)/do (consistently) the right thing but I doubt your boss really knows his job from what you tell (perhaps occasionally/frequently)/are telling me (now)."

If "hope" when used in the progressive suggests that the speaker isn't sure, does the sentence #2 suggest the speaker isn't confident?
"Longman English Grammar Practice" by L. G. Alexander.

View attachment 3889

Some subtle differences.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

The book's explanation is not quite clear. ([no space]I don't remember which book mentions it.) Perhaps it's just the author's personal opinion that "is hoping" expresses that the speaker is unsure.

Yes, it often does. For example: "She's so late. She should have arrived this morning. I hope she's alright!"

But you said it doesn't always express worry or concern so it depends on context, doesn't it?

Exactly!

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Exactly!

Then in all of these examples either tense is also correct. Am I right?

1. "The car is making a very strange noise. It is always making or always makes a noise like that."


2. "The birds always build nests or are always building nests in chimneys."

3. "He always gets drunk or he is always getting drunk."

4. "I always dream at night or I am always dreaming."

5. "They always complain or they are always complaining."

6. "I always write to him on his birthday or I am always writing."

7. "He always says he will mend it or he is always saying."

 

[GoesStation]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Only the present simple works in four and six. In the others, the continuous introduces a note of complaint which is absent with the present simple. It would be very rare for a native speaker not to contract the verb in the continuous examples.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Only the present simple works in four and six. In the others, the continuous introduces a note of complaint which is absent with the present simple. It would be very rare for a native speaker not to contract the verb in the continuous examples.

Is it because in # 4 and and #6 they are not talking about complaints, but the other sentences refer to either facts or complaints?

 

[Tarheel]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

You can't say the car is making a strange noise them follow that up by saying it always does that.

Which is more important to you--grammar rules or meaning?

[If something is strange it's unfamiliar. After that something has occurred several times it is no longer strange (unfamiliar).]

 

[GoesStation]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

Is it because in # 4 and and #6 they are not talking about complaints, but the other sentences refer to either facts or complaints?

I'd say that covers it pretty well, yes.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

I'd say that covers it pretty well, yes.

You are quite right. I have learnt more nuances on this forum talking to native speakers rather than from studying the rules from my books. They don't always explain them well.

If the present simple and progressive are interchangeable in the above sentences in which we are describing either complaints or facts, are they also interchangeable when we are talking about a current state?

For example, 1. "They live/are living in poverty" (a current state).

Changes: 2. "The climate is getting warmer" (the climate gets warmer isn't probably natural).

Current trend: 3. "Schoolchildren are carrying heavy schoolbags."

4. Temporary action/current situation and limited duration if all three mean the same thing: "I am living in Paris" and "I am woking in a bank" ( usually I work in an office).

 

[Rachel Adams]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

The word hope doesn't always express worry or concern.

You said that "tell" and " telling," "hope" and "hoping" mean the same. The book gives us, students restricted options if that makes sense. It says in such sentences, the present simple says the action is generally true, while the progressive shows it's temporary.

 

[Tarheel]

Re: The difference between "hope" ''hoping" and "tell" and "telling"

"The climate gets warmer" probably isn't natural."

No, it isn't.

"Schoolchildren are carrying heavy schoolbags."

Right now? Right this minute?

"I am working in a bank?"

Right this minute?

Usually I work in an office.

But you don't now?

It seems that you have forgotten (or never learned) the importance of context.