difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

[Winwin2011]

difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

I read the following telephone message in a website:

Hello Mike. This is Peter at Airspeed. I was looking for an update on the campaign. Can you get back to me in a day?

Is there a difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..." in the above context

 

[bhaisahab]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

No, although I much prefer "am" there.

 

[Winwin2011]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

No, although I much prefer "am" there.

Thanks Bhai

Does it mean that it is more polite if we use past continuous tense?

 

[bhaisahab]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

No, it doesn't mean that. It sounds over-apologetic to me.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

In BrE at least, we seem to use the simple past in that context quite frequently. I say (and I hear) things like "Hi, I was just wondering if you ..." when, grammatically, "I am just wondering ..." would be correct.

 

[Winwin2011]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

In BrE at least, we seem to use the simple past in that context quite frequently. I say (and I hear) things like "Hi, I was just wondering if you ..." when, grammatically, "I am just wondering ..." would be correct.

Thanks ems

What do we use "I was just wondering if you " instead of "I am just wondering ..." ?

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

Thanks ems

What do we use "I was just wondering if you " instead of "I am just wondering ..." ?

Do you mean "When do we use ..."?

 

[Winwin2011]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

Do you mean "When do we use ..."?

Sorry, ems.


Typo. I mean why do we use "I was just wondering if you " instead of "I am just wondering ..." ?

 

[Raymott]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

I think it has a distancing function, which could be used for various reasons. It puts less pressure on the person you say it too, and it leaves you at less risk.

Boy: I was wondering if you wanted to come to the movies tomorrow.
Girl: No, I'm washing my hair.
Boy: Oh. Well I was just wondering ... before. I mean, I'm not wondering now. I can't even remember when I thought about it last. Haha, I can't even think why I told you.

 

[Winwin2011]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

quoted "I was wondering if/whether:

a)(spoken) used to politely ask someone to help you"


Do native speaking teachers think the above is correct?

 

[SoothingDave]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

It doesn't have to have anything to do with asking for help.

It is more polite to say "I was wondering if you got that report done" than "Did you get that report done?"

"I was wondering if you had change for a 5" versus "Do you have change for a 5?"

 

[Raymott]

Re: difference between "I was looking for ." and "I am looking for..."

It is more polite to say "I was wondering if you got that report done" than "Did you get that report done?"

Yes, but the question was, "Is it more polite than "I am wondering if you got that report done."
And if it isn't more polite, why do we say "I was wondering..." when we mean "I am wondering ..."