What's the difference?

[Xenon]

Hello again :lol:

Well, while I was watching John Wick 3 Parabellum I noticed something.

I've found on the website that those sentences have the same meaning.

"I wasn't expecting you here." - the character is approching after he says that. (original version)

I thought that using present perfect continuous would be more proper.

"I have't been expecting you here." - emphesis the duration up to now that she suddenly appeared

What do you think about it?

 

[jutfrank]

No, your present perfect continuous version doesn't work.

 

[Xenon]

Why not ?

What did I exactly said in my version ?

 

[jutfrank]

Honestly, I really don't think that a long and complicated explanation will help you.

Instead, let me give you a simple and useful rule to follow:

When you walk into a room, and you are surprised to find somebody there, say I wasn't expecting you here.

 

[Xenon]

I just wonder why this one doesn't suit it as well

Grammatically incorrect ?

 

[jutfrank]

See post #4.

 

[Xenon]

But what if you weren't expecting anybody (you work you chef is getting late for the control or something like that)

I haven't been expecting you.

The past continuous tense is used to describe an action that began in the past and ended in the past.
The present perfect continuous is used to describe an action that began in the past but continues up till the point of speaking about it(the present).


Like the past action that I weren't expecting anybody, continues till the present situation, somebody appears and "I haven't been expecting you here".

Something like that Master Kenobi ?

By the way do you like Prequels or Sequels ?
"Master I've disapointed you I haven't been very appreciate of you training me."

 

[GoesStation]

But what if you weren't expecting anybody (you work you chef is getting late for the control or something like that)

I haven't been expecting you.

That's not an idiomatic use of the present perfect continuous. It suggests that the not expecting has been going on for an extended time. When you say I wasn't expecting you, you're expressing an activity that was recently ongoing but didn't necessarily continue for a long time.

 

[jutfrank]

But what if you weren't expecting anybody (you work you chef is getting late for the control or something like that)

When you say I wasn't expecting you here, it can mean either of two things:

1) I wasn't expecting anybody.
2) I was expecting somebody, but not you.

The difference in meaning is shown by the way you pronounce the phrase.

The past continuous tense is used to describe an action that began in the past and ended in the past.
The present perfect continuous is used to describe an action that began in the past but continues up till the point of speaking about it(the present).


Like the past action that I weren't expecting anybody, continues till the present situation, somebody appears and "I haven't been expecting you here".

Something like that Master Kenobi ?

Well, it seems you're forcing me to try to explain, so I will.

Understand it like this: The period of not expecting ended before you arrived in the room. For that reason, the period does not continue up to the point of speaking. The period is entirely in the past.

I hope you appreciate that explanation because I have to go and defeat some Sith Lords now.

By the way do you like Prequels or Sequels ?
"Master I've disapointed you I haven't been very appreciate of you training me."

I like all the films, but I must say the prequels are a bit rubbish in several respects.

 

[Xenon]

So this sentence doesn't work in any situation ?

"Sith Lords are our speciality".

Like I finally understand the usage of present perfect and past simple (when there is no more context like since,for etc.) Like it depends on what I want to emphesize.
I thought it works the same to those tenses.

So there are sentences that doesn't work completely doesn't work or maybe I just picked the wrong situation.

Oh and Grey Jedies are op
Have you seen the reimagined SC38 video ?

 

[GoesStation]

So this sentence doesn't work in any situation ?

"Sith Lords are our speciality".

That's fine in British English. We say "specialty" in American English.

 

[jutfrank]

So this sentence doesn't work in any situation ?

Which one? I haven't been expecting you? Well, we could possibly come up with something, but not really, no.

Like I finally understand the usage of present perfect and past simple (when there is no more context like since,for etc.) Like it depends on what I want to emphesize.
I thought it works the same to those tenses.

So there are sentences that doesn't work completely doesn't work or maybe I just picked the wrong situation.

"You underestimate the power of the dark side of the present perfect, young Jedi."

-Emperor Palpatine, during his EFL teacher years.

Oh and Grey Jedies are op
Have you seen the reimagined SC38 video ?

Yes and yes. Very cool.

 

[Tarheel]

Xenon, what's up with your question marks?
:?:

 

[Yankee]

Is the dead horse dead yet? :shock:

 

[Xenon]

Xenon, what's up with your question marks?
:?:

I'm so used to use space.
Habbit.

Oh by the way Master Kenobi.
I think I understood the usage thanks to this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if6uMrK3ySk) he is still filming.