WhyWhy
[Maybe you are talking to me about your holiday plans. You're going to spend a few days in Madrid, then you are going to visit Africa. Then you're going to spend a few days with friends in New York, and then you are coming back home. ] In these sentences, speaker uses be going to in almost all these sentences but he uses present continuous tense in the last sentence. ➡️Why?❓ Be going to and present continuous tense, both are used in formal sentences. Be going to is emphasized in speaker's intention. Present continuous is used in personal arrangements and fixed plans. ➡️So, why?❓ Can I use these two as I like or something?
Sep 9, 2021 6:14 AM
Answers · 6
2
The speaker uses "be going to" in almost all these sentences but he uses present continuous tense in the last sentence. ➡️Why?❓ Because the places he's going to visit on his holiday are intended destinations, where there might be some changes of plan, whereas coming back home can be considered a certainty. Be going to and present continuous.... Can I use these two as I like or something? --> they are very often interchangeable. It all depends on the level of certainty concerning what is being spoken about, in the mind of the speaker or questioner. If in doubt, I would recommend using "going to", which covers the majority (but, obviously, not all!!) 'future' scenarios.
September 9, 2021
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