Will v./ will be v.~ing

   Share on Facebook  
elinor  #96323  Thu, 05 May 05 12:08 PM
1. We'll be visiting you next Monday.
2. We'll visit you next Monday.



Is there any difference between them?



Thanks.
  
Not Ranked
Joined on Thu, Mar 3 2005
New Member (18)
victorycountry  #96330  Thu, 05 May 05 12:31 PM
Hi, Elinor.

Yes, there is a difference.

The first one means that something will be happended to "we" next Monday whereas the second one means that someone("we") will do something next Monday.

  
Top 200 Contributor
Joined on Sat, Oct 16 2004
Full Member (296)
elinor  #96435  Thu, 05 May 05 05:00 PM
Hi, victorycountry,

Thank you.

According your express, it seems that the first one is passive for us to do something whereas the second one is an active action. Is that right?
  
khoff  #96479  Thu, 05 May 05 08:34 PM
I disagree - neither sentence contains any passive language or any impliction of passive action, as far as I can tell. I would say there is only a subtle difference in emphasis. The first sentence emphasizes the process of visiting, and might be more likely to be used if you are going on to discuss what will happen during the visit. (We will be visiting you Monday, so we can more about this in person. We will be visiting George, so if you are looking for us, call us at his house.) The second sentence simply states the fact that the visit will take place. (We will visit you on Monday. On Tuesday we will go to the museum, and on Wednesday we will go to the beach.) The difference is slight - in most conversational situations, either sentence could be used.
  
Top 50 Contributor
Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005
Denver, Colorado, USA, Earth
Senior Member (2,610)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)
CalifJim  #96579  Fri, 06 May 05 03:48 AM
Yes, elinor, there is a difference -- the usual difference between progressive and non-progressive structures.

1. We will be [in the act of / in the situation] of doing some visiting with you next Monday. The time period of visiting will be during next Monday. This is a descriptive form. It describes what will be going on.
2. The following event will take place next Monday: We will make a visit to you. This is a fact-stating form. It states the facts of the event as a whole, as if the visit were an item on a schedule of tasks to be accomplished next Monday.

The progressive forms express actions and situations as they unfold in time.
The non-progressive forms express 'event-facts'. Such-and-such an event will happen.

With the future, the progressive is much more likely when the activity has been prearranged.

Example:

-- Can you go swimming with us next Monday?
-- No, because we'll be visiting grandmother then. (You can't easily answer: No, because we'll visit grandmother then.)

-- We have to visit grandmother next week.
-- OK. Let's get it over with. We'll visit her next Monday. (You can't easily answer: OK. We'll be visiting her next Monday. It sounds like you've already prearranged the visit.)

Hope that helps.
CJ
  
Top 10 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member (17,568)
ModeratorProficient Speaker
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Roro  #96669  Fri, 06 May 05 09:58 AM
Hello, CalifJim !

I have a little question. Can I change your example as follows? (in the same context)

-- Can you go swimming with us next Monday?
-- No, because we are visiting grandmother then.

Thanks, in advance...

Roro
  
Top 150 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Apr 11 2005
Regular Member (581)
elinor  #96757  Fri, 06 May 05 04:16 PM
Thank you all. Much appreciated.
  
CalifJim  #96918  Sat, 07 May 05 03:17 AM
Hello, Roro!

I have a little answer! Yes!

Jim
  
Roro  #96934  Sat, 07 May 05 04:08 AM
Hello, Jim ! Thanks a lot! It's interesting...
  
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL General English Grammar Questions
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions & Terms of Service