Sunday, November 25, 2018

word difference - How should "come" and "go" be used in the following context?



I just had an argument with my mom about the usage of "come" and "go". Last night, my aunt was at my house, and my mom and I were in the car, on the way home. I called my aunt and said "I'm coming home." After I hung up, my mom told me that I should have said "I'm going home."


If the person I am speaking to is not at my house, of course I would tell them that "I'm going home." But what if they're at my house? Does the usage of "come" and "go" depend on where the listener is, or just the speaker?



Answer



It is very simple. If the listener is at your home, and you're going home, then you should say :



I'm coming home.



If the listener is elsewhere, you should say :



I'm going home.




Note that in the beginning of this answer, I've said "..and you're going home..". This is because I'm not at your home. It is as simple as that.

Note:
Say you're in the Army and you're posted somewhere far from home. Now, you're speaking to your friend who stays in your hometown. You can tell him "I'm coming home.". This doesn't mean he's at your home. But here, when the speaker refers to "his home", he is talking about his home, as well as his hometown. Generally, if the listener is in the area of reference, you could use "come".


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