Will you be coming...(request)

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Jesusengland

#513184 Tue, 13 May 08 04:09 PM

Hello.

To distinguish between a request and an invitation is it correct to say ?

- Will you be coming to the party tonight? (request) (instead of "Will you come to the party tonight?")

Thanks

Jesusengland

Joined on Wed, Jan 9 2008

Spain

Member (69)

Invitations

Awence

#513188 Tue, 13 May 08 04:24 PM

I thought future continuous tense, will be coming is used to express something that is almost a routine (or can be anticipated). How about, " Would you?"

Awence

Joined on Thu, Jul 26 2007

Member (59)

Tenses

Kooyeen

#513322 Tue, 13 May 08 11:27 PM

I would say one of these:
Are you coming tonight?
Will you come tonight?
Are you gonna come tonight?
But not the one with the future continuous... "Will you be coming tonight?" Maybe it's just me though. I can't be sure. Smile

Kooyeen

Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005

Italy

Pre Guru (3,648)

*Parental Advisory* Explicit Posts

CalifJim

#513324 Tue, 13 May 08 11:38 PM

I don't see a great deal of difference between a request and an invitation -- none that could be communicated entirely by a modal verb, at least. The difference seems to lie in what you expect the addressee to do.

Request:

[Can/Could] you please come to my party tonight? I need someone to help me set up the sound system.

Invitation:

I'm having a party tonight, and [I'd / I would] like (to invite) you to come. I hope you can [come / make it].