[Grammar] keeping me waiting

[mamen]

I suppose I should have said "What makes you think it's present progressive tense?"

What I meant was for you to look at the sentence, and determine if it's really present progressive, or some other tense.

I think (somehow) I get it now.
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting." and "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." are essentially equivalent because

"I am sorry for keeping you waiting (a while back)." = "I am sorry to have kept you waiting.

The underlined phrase is just a "prepositional phrase."


Does my explanation make sense?

 

[teechar]

I am sorry for keeping you waiting = I am sorry to have kept you waiting.

To me, "(I'm) sorry for keeping you waiting" could imply that the waiting is ongoing, whereas "(I'm) sorry to have kept you waiting" suggests that the waiting is over.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I agree with teechar. Your underlined phrase is prepositional. "Keeping" is a gerund noun that introduces the object of the preposition.

 

[mamen]

To me, "(I'm) sorry for keeping you waiting" could imply that the waiting is ongoing, whereas "(I'm) sorry to have kept you waiting" suggests that the waiting is over.

I see.
So, could the sentence "I am sorry for keeping you waiting." imply two things?

(1) I am sorry for keeping you waiting (at this point in time). [...the waiting is ongoing.]
(2) I am sorry for keeping you waiting (a while back). [...the "waiting" is over.]

If not, which one is correct?

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think both are possible depending on context, but I am not a teacher.

 

[Skrej]

Yes, you're correct now. I view 'for keeping you waiting' as a prepositional phrase, with a gerund phrase as the object of the preposition. It's actually just a simple present sentence. Glad to see you worked it out.

I think you were just tricked into thinking that every word ending in -ing was a present progressive verb - you have to remember that they can be participles, gerunds, or even nouns. Actually, even in the various progressive tenses, it's still just a present participle.

I see.
So, could the sentence "I am sorry for keeping you waiting." imply two things?

(1) I am sorry for keeping you waiting (at this point in time). [...the waiting is ongoing.]
(2) I am sorry for keeping you waiting (a while back). [...the "waiting" is over.]

If not, which one is correct?

Yes, these are both valid interpretations.