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expect, hope, wait and look forward

expect and hope: difference of meaning​

Expecting is a matter of thinking rather than feeling. If I expect something to happen, I have a good reason to think it will in fact happen. Hoping is more emotional. If I hope for something to happen, I would like it to happen, but I do not know whether it will. Compare:

  • I’m expecting Jack to phone at three o’clock.
    I hope he’s got some good news.
  • Lucy’s expecting a baby. (= She’s pregnant.)
    She’s hoping it will be a girl.

One can expect good or bad things, but one only hopes for things that one wants.

  • I expect it will rain at the weekend. But I hope it won’t.

expect and wait: difference of meaning​

One waits when somebody or something is late, when one is early for something, or when one wants time to pass so that something will happen. Waiting is often physical – the word suggests, for example, standing or sitting somewhere until something happens.

Compare:

  • I’m expecting a phone call from Jack at three o’clock.
    I hope he calls on time. I hate waiting for people to phone. (not I hate expecting people to phone.)
  • He expects to get a bike for his birthday. (= He thinks he’ll get one.)
    It’s hard to wait for things when you’re five years old.
  • I expected her at ten, but she didn’t turn up.
    I waited for her till eleven, and then went home.

Can’t wait often expresses impatience.

  • I can’t wait for the weekend!

When we say that we expect a person, this usually means that he/she is coming to our home, office, etc. Compare:

  • Come and see me this afternoon. I’ll expect you at 4.00.
  • Let’s meet at the theatre. I’ll be there at 6.00. (not I’ll expect you at 6.00.)

look forward: meaning​

Look forward means ‘think about (something in the future) with pleasure’. One looks forward to something that seems certain to happen, and that one is glad about.

  • He’s looking forward to his birthday.
  • ‘See you on Sunday.’ ‘I look forward to it.’

All four expressions compared​

Compare:

  • I expect to hear from her. (= I’m pretty sure I’ll get an email from her.)
  • I hope to hear from her. (= I’m not sure whether she’ll write, but I would like her to.)
  • I’m waiting to hear from her. (= I need her email to come; perhaps it’s late.)
  • I look forward to hearing from her. (= I feel pleasure at the thought that I will hear from her.)

Prepositions​

Before an object, we use expect (with no preposition), hope for, wait for, and look forward to.

  • We’re expecting rain soon.
  • We’re hoping for a lot of rain – the garden’s very dry.
  • We’ve been waiting for rain for weeks.
  • I’m looking forward to the autumn.
  • I expect Jack to arrive about ten o’clock. (not I expect for him to arrive …)
  • I’m hoping for him to come up with some new ideas.
  • I’m still waiting for him to pay me back that money.

After look forward to, we use the -ing form of a verb (see here).

  • I look forward to talking to him. (not … to talk to him.)
  • I look forward to hearing from you. (in an email / a letter)

Simple and progressive forms​

Before an infinitive, simple and progressive forms of hope, expect and look forward to can often be used with little difference of meaning.

  • We hope / We’re hoping to get to Scotland next weekend.
  • We expect / We’re expecting to hear from Lucy today.
  • I look forward / I’m looking forward to the day when the children leave home.

that-clauses​

Expect and hope can be used before a that-clause.

  • I expect (that) she’ll be here soon.
  • I hope (that) I’ll recognise her.
  • but not I’m waiting that she arrives.

Progressive forms of expect are not normally used before that-clauses.

  • I expect that we’ll have a lot to talk about. (not I’m expecting that we’ll …)

Hope (that) is often followed by a present tense with a future meaning (see here).

  • I hope (that) she doesn’t miss the train.

expect: other points​

Expect is often used with object + infinitive to talk about people’s duties.

  • We expect you to work on the first Saturday of every month.

Passive versions of the structure are also common.

  • Staff are expected to start work punctually at 8.30.

I expect (that) can be used to talk about the present or past, with the meaning ‘I suppose’, ‘I have good reason to think’.

  • I expect you’re all tired after your journey.
  • Sarah isn’t here. I expect she was too tired to come.

We can say that we expect something of somebody, to express our feelings about how somebody ought to behave.

  • My parents expected too much of me when I was at school. They were terribly upset when I failed my exams.
note

For hope and expect in negative clauses, (see here).

For not and so after hope and expect, (see here).

For and after wait, (see here).

For wish, (see here).