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Confusion in future tense !

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Latest post Fri, Jun 12 2009 7:23 PM by CalifJim. 3 replies.
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Sarojwal Gunjan  +  777128 Fri, 12 Jun 09 08:19 AM
Hi,

On a website- englishpage.com

the correct answer(as displayed) for a grammar test question is:

Tom (call) is going to call when he (arrive) arrives in Madrid. He (stay) is going to stay with you for two or three days until his new apartment (be) is available.

 

and in another exercise the correct answer(as shown) is:

Lucy: I (call) will call you as soon as I arrive in Dublin.

I am confused, which one should I take as correct?

plz help, as english is not my first language and I have to give training of tenses.

 

Gunjan
Sarojwal Gunjan
Joined on Fri, Jun 12 2009
New Member 04
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Anonymous, 162 days ago
There is no real future tense in English.

The verb form we choose depends on what you are thinking when you speak.

 

In general, be careful with "will" for the future. Any good grammar book will show you that you may add meanings that you do not intend when you use it.

 

The 2 forms you mention are the best to use for learners. "be going to vb" is used to show a plan, something you would like to do, but have not organised. "be vb-ing" is used for arrangements - pretty solid future plans.

 

So we get -

 

I'm flying out on Sunday (he has tickets)

I'm going to swim in the Mediterranean (you can't organise this)

 

There are, as ever, exceptions, but hese rules will get you going.

Related discussions
Cool Breeze  +  777206 Fri, 12 Jun 09 09:30 AM
Sarojwal Gunjan
“Tom (call) is going to call when”

Correct. Could also be Tom will call  but since there's no indirect object such as me in this clause, the longer structure is going to call may sound better to many.


Sarojwal Gunjan
“I (call) will call you as soon as I arrive in Dublin.”

Correct. Could also be I am going to call you...


The choice is often a personal preference and people will argue over the "correct" version. There may also be regional differences. I once listened to a Scot's intersting lecture about the use of shall and will in northern England and Scotland. The only thing I remember is that for a certain meaning, the Scots use shall and the English will.


CB
Cool Breeze
Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006
Senior Member 3,970
"I hope you'll all live to be 150 years old - and the last voice you hear is mine!" Frank Sinatra on stage in Oslo, Norway, 28 September 1991
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CalifJim  +  777767 Fri, 12 Jun 09 07:23 PM
Sarojwal Gunjan
“

On a website- englishpage.com

the correct answer(as displayed) for a grammar test question is:

Tom (call) is going to call when he (arrive) arrives in Madrid. He (stay) is going to stay with you for two or three days until his new apartment (be) is available.


and in another exercise the correct answer(as shown) is:

Lucy: I (call) will call you as soon as I arrive in Dublin.

I am confused, which one should I take as correct?

”

The part in parentheses was the question.  You were supposed to transform the verb in parentheses to form the correct answer.  The correct answer is the part that is not in parentheses.


Question:  Tom (call) when he (arrive) in Madrid.

Answer:  Tom is going to call where he arrives in Madrid.


What's confusing is that they have given both the question and the answer together in the same sentences.


As for "will" vs. "going to", both are correct in those sentences, if that's what you're asking about.  Perhaps one sentence came from an exercise on the use of "going to", and another came from an exercise on the use of "will".  It depends on the context in which the exercises occurred.


CJ
CalifJim
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member 22,383
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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