I am sending this e-mail ...

[kadioguy]

[From a TOEIC test]

Mr. Sheltons,

I am sending this e-mail as I have just acquired an office building in Southwark, a commercial district near London. [...]

[Source]
----
Why is the -ing form used? When the sender is writing this e-mail, it hasn't been sent yet. When the receiver gets this e-mail, the sending is over. So what does the -ing form mean?


What do you think of this?

GoesStation:

The present perfect would be logical from the reader's perspective. The writer was thinking from his or her perspective: "I'm writing this email. I'm sending it. You're receiving it."

It's natural as written, even if the choice of tense strains logic a little.

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/are-receiving.240939/post-1262547

 

[jutfrank]

I think the way to understand this is that in the speaker's mind the 'sending' encompasses the whole process of communication, including having the thought, writing the text, communicating the message by email, and also it being received, opened, read, and digested by the receiver.

 

[kadioguy]

I think the way to understand this is that in the speaker's mind the 'sending' encompasses the whole process of communication, including having the thought, writing the text, communicating the message by email, and also it being received, opened, read, and digested by the receiver.

Thank you, jutfrank.

Could you also tell me what you think about the question GoesStation replied to?

 

[jutfrank]

You’re receiving this email because we are updating the Microsoft Services Agreement, which applies to one or more of the Microsoft products or services that you use.

I think the way to understand this is that the writer is placing himself at the point of view of the reader, describing what is going on at the time of receiving.

 

[kadioguy]

You’re receiving this email because we are updating the Microsoft Services Agreement, which applies to one or more of the Microsoft products or services that you use.

I think the way to understand this is that the writer is placing himself at the point of view of the reader, describing what is going on at the time of receiving.

Thank you again.

One last question:

You are receiving this email because you registered for this webinar. Unsubscribe to stop receiving notifications about this event.

Could I also say for this case that the writer is placing himself at the point of view of the reader, describing what is going on at the time of receiving?

 

[Tarheel]

Yes.