Lydia
Professional Teacher
Future plans - verb tenses ***Please pretty please ONLY answer if you are a native speaker who knows his grammar thoroughly*** I have a question about verb tenses used in talking about future plans. I know that for future arranged plans we use the present continuous, for example: "I am leaving after dinner." But sometimes we say 'will', in spite of the fact that it is a plan and not a guess of what might happen. For example: "I am taking a shower, and after that I'll be joining you for dinner." It seems to me this is correct, as I hear native speakers use this form regularly, but I cannot find it in the grammars. Is it indeed correct? And why? Or is it wrong? Is it perhaps because I have made a clear plan for myself, but the other person - to whom I am speaking - is being informed of my plan and thus has not technically made an arrangement with me yet? So in a way I am offering them this as a plan - so it would be considered a mixture between a promise ('I will') and a plan (continuous: 'joining')?(By the way, I know this is a future continuous, I am particularly asking about its use in these cases, when plans or arrangements are the topic.)
Mar 31, 2015 1:02 AM
Answers · 14
2
Yes, it is correct. It's called future continuous tense.
March 31, 2015
1
Hi Lydia, It's difficult to find an exact grammar rule, as (you well know) the explanation you are looking for is buried under simplified grammar rules for intermediate-level students. I agree it's natural to use in the way that you describe, so I understand the "be (verb)ing" part as a fixed arrangement, but the "will" prediction balances it off so the effect is, "as far as I know, this is the case". Does this sound right to you? Like you said in response to Judy, it sounds as if there's some space for the other person to agree to the arrangement. Using one piece or other of the grammar sounds either too unplanned or too harsh. Let's call it the Goldilocks future! :D
March 31, 2015
Hi! We use present continuous for certain future actions that have a definite plan. Example: I am driving to the beach! (you have your towels and are ready to go in the near future or a little later within the same day). future definite plans are also expressed using: verb to be + going to Example: I am going to see my dentist on Wednesday. Will is used for uncertain future events. example: This weekend I will go the beach. ( you have the want or desire but no definite plans set) We also use will in the moment. Example: someone is at the door and you respond, "I will get ". your friend wants you to open the window and you say, "I will open it" I hope this answers your question! ????
March 31, 2015
And of course your other option "I will join you for dinner" does not work either, because as I said in my question above, I am talking about definite plans, not last minute decisions. That would be OK if it were a last minute decision.
March 31, 2015
Actually for a definite plan with a time arrangement it should be "I am joining you for dinner" not "I am going to join you for dinner", because it tells the exact time when you are planning to do it. Just like I said I am taking a shower (definite arranged plan) I am likewise saying that I am joining them for dinner (also a definite arranged plan). I know that this is the rule that the grammars are saying. What I am asking is for the use of the future continuous, not the routine regular present continuous that is used according to the grammars for definite arranged plans.
March 31, 2015
Show more
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!