In 30 minutes we are collecting to the right of the main entrance to ...

Hello,

When I'm working as a tour guide I often say to my tourists where I'll be waiting for them inside a museum after they've had some free time given to them after the tour itself. There're fixed places in all the museums in St.Petersburg where guides usually collect tourists. Below there is an example of telling people about the place where they have to be in the end.

"In 30 minutes we are collecting to the right of the main entrance to the Egyptian room".

Is the construction in bold grammatically correct? I mean the particle "to" and the preposition "of".

Thanks

Use the word "gathering" instead of "collecting."

"The the right of the main entrance is fine" -- but is is it the right as you enter, or the right as you're in the room? (If you're facing the entrance from the outside, do you go in, and head right? Or are you facing the entrance from inside, and go to the right?)

Barb_D said:

Use the word "gathering" instead of "collecting."

"The the right of the main entrance is fine" -- but is is it the right as you enter, or the right as you're in the room? (If you're facing the entrance from the outside, do you go in, and head right? Or are you facing the entrance from inside, and go to the right?)

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Thanks!!!

First, I have a question about the usage of "collect". Is the usage in my sentence wrong? For example:

1) People usually collect on Palace Square on the 9th of May to celebrate the Victory Day

2) During the intermission we are collecting outside of the auditorium and then going to drink champagne

3) They collected near the monument and then met the French delegation there in an hour or so

Do we have to use "gather" in all these sentences?

Saying "to the right of the main entrance to ..." I mean that when we're facing the main entrance to that room and heading the room without entering it, then we will need to head right. When saying where we're meeting we're standing outside of the room, not inside.

Best

Gather for the first and either gather or meet ( in the right tense) for the others, though I think I prefer meet or assemble (since meet is used again) for the third.

Thanks everyone for the contributions. It's interesting but I've heard my tourists say "collect" in this meaning several times. I remember several months ago one of guests asked me when we were at the theatre: "Are we collecting here in the intermission?" and I've replied "Yes, we are". Maybe that guy was from England or Australia, but definitely not from the US, where "collect" has been confirmed to be used very seldom in such contexts.

What's the difference? Both Future Perfect Continuous and Present Continuous are used about future arrangements. If we say "We are gathering here in an hour" and "We will be gathering here in a hour", will the meaning change somehow?

milan2003_07 said:

What's the difference? Both Future [STRIKE]Perfect [/STRIKE]Continuous and Present Continuous are used about future arrangements. If we say "We are gathering here in an hour" and "We will be gathering here in a hour", will the meaning change somehow?

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There is not a great difference. If you say 'we are meeting', there is a suggestion that the meeting has been arranged beforehand. If it has, then that form is fine, If you are announcing the meeting for the first time, then either 'we'll be meeting' or 'we'll meet' is marginally more appropriate.

milan2003_07 said:

Thanks everyone for the contributions. It's interesting but I've heard my tourists say "collect" in this meaning several times. I remember several months ago one of guests asked me when we were at the theatre: "Are we collecting here in the intermission?" and I've replied "Yes, we are". Maybe that guy was from England or Australia, but definitely not from the US, where "collect" has been confirmed to be used very seldom in such contexts.

"Move the tense from "are" to "will be". "collecting" may have the meaning that you give it, but it would be unfamiliar to most Americans (though it is still used in the southern US states to a degree). I suggest that it be written this way -"

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What's the difference? Both Future Perfect Continuous and Present Continuous are used about future arrangements. If we say "We are gathering here in an hour" and "We will be gathering here in a hour", will the meaning change somehow?

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We would use "gather" or "meet" in BrE too. Are you sure your guest was a native English speaker?

bhaisahab said:

We would use "gather" or "meet" in BrE too. Are you sure your guest was a native English speaker?

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Absolutely. I'm absolutely sure. Moreover, I've heard "collect" several times as I've said before. I don't know, though, from where exactly those people were. England, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, ... I don't know.

However you've taught me to use "collect" according to modern standards, which I'll undoubtedly remember. Thanks!!!

5jj said:

There is not a great difference. If you say 'we are meeting', there is a suggestion that the meeting has been arranged beforehand. If it has, then that form is fine, If you are announcing the meeting for the first time, then either 'we'll be meeting' or 'we'll meet' is marginally more appropriate.

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"Perfect" was a misprint. Sorry for that.

I see the difference. Now I've remembered myself, after reading your commentary, that Present Continuous is about arrangements made beforehand. Of course, when I'm saying "We're meeting in an hour" I'm making a decision right on the spot because it doesn't have to be only one hour. Future Continuous is the one that we need here.

Great!!! Thanks a lot!!!