maj  +  21869 Mon, 09 Feb 04 01:08 PM -Will you ever let go of her -Are you going to let go of her? Any difference in meaning as far as intentions are concerned? maj Joined on Mon, Mar 31 2003 Senior Member 4,756

	rommie  +  21873 Mon, 09 Feb 04 01:23 PM The only difference is the word "ever". Without the "ever", there would have been no difference in meaning between: 1. Will you let go of her? 2. Are you going to let go of her? With the "ever", there would have been no difference in meaning between: 1. Will you ever let go of her? 2. Are you ever going to let go of her? But the "ever" itself does make a difference. Rommie rommie Joined on Mon, Jan 26 2004 Earth orbit Regular Member 606

	rommie  +  21887 Mon, 09 Feb 04 02:56 PM This is a difference, but it's very, very subtle. maj made things less clear by turning the words around to make questions, but as simple statements, "You will" and "You are going to" are completely interchangable. As questions, those phrases become "Will you" and "Are you going to". This is also true in the third person. The subtle difference occurs only in the first person - I and we. It is this: Compare these sentences. 1. I am going to fight. 2. I shall fight. 3. I will fight In theory, (1) and (2) - NOT (1) and (3) - are completely equivalent, but (3) is an emphatic form. In the first person, don't say WILL unless you REALLY MEAN IT. Remember, this is only so in the first person. (In the second and third person, use "will" for normal and "shall" for emphasis). This distinction is not used much these days, particularly not in America. Rommie. rommie

	mp  +  22427 Sat, 14 Feb 04 01:13 AM I think there is a difference in tone. Will you ever let go of her? Is almost pleading; dramatic and femimine Are you going to let go of her? Is abrupt; the tone is harsher. If either sentence is written as part of a longer work, then the choice should be matched with the character asking the question. mp Joined on Fri, Nov 14 2003 New Member 12

	pedant  +  22443 Sat, 14 Feb 04 07:36 AM "Ever" suggests an infinite span of time, or at least a lifetime. Without "ever" the implication is that the letting go will be soon. pedant Joined on Thu, Dec 18 2003 Full Member 104

	maj  +  22455 Sat, 14 Feb 04 10:21 AM Thank you pedant, I really think your explanation is very enlightening. How would you answer these questions, though? maj

	dinosm  +  22492 Sun, 15 Feb 04 02:21 PM Regarding future tense structures, 'will' implies a wish, a willingness to do something. "I will fight" means that I really want to fight and that's what I am going to do. "I'm going to fight" denotes a future event but does not imply the same willingness as 'will' in the previous example (at least that's how I've come to understand it). What we learn in language school is that the present continuous tense provides the strongest form of speaking about the future. "I am fighting this guy" means I will definitely, absolutely, beyond any doubt fight this guy, no matter what. dinosm Joined on Fri, Nov 28 2003 Manchester, U.K. New Member 43 Tenses, Present Continuous, Language Schools