I was supposed to be introducing you. 是什麼意思

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WiseRichard

2022年12月6日

最佳解答

英語 (美國)

We can also say that I was supposed to introduce you...., right? Right.

The reason for this verb tense is, which I would have to look up, is because:
1. The event is still going on (they are still talking), BUT
2. The time for the introduction has passed.

When they tell this story in the future - that night, the next day, a year from now, Rankin will say, "I was supposed to introduce him" or "I was supposed to introduce him." Coe will say, "He was supposed to introduce me."

Let me know if this makes sense, I take these questions seriously.

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WiseRichard

2022年12月6日

英語 (美國)

From this sentence, there was a social situation. For example, a boyfriend and a girlfriend are at a party. They are talking to a group of people - probably his friends - and she does something (let's say she calls her parents on her phone) that prevents him from introducing her to his friends. Later, he says to her, "Hey, I was supposed to be introducing you to my friends tonight, but you were on the phone the whole time. At the next party, can you take time to meet my friends, please?"

Probably a story along these lines.

Let me know if this makes sense. I take these questions seriously.

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Tillaging

2022年12月6日

日語

@WiseRichard Thank you for your comment and I now understand what the sentence means.
We can also say that I was supposed to introduce you...., right?

I saw this sentence in a tweet by Jonathan Coe.
He was invited a litterature festival, and only one audience (perosn) showed up for him and he chatted with the person and said how glad he was. The person said that "Actually I'm Ian Rankin and I was supposed to be introducing you."