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raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
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 Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 9:38 pm Post subject: Question on will vs. going to |
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I have a question about whether or not "will" can be used instead of "going to" for fixed plans in situations like these:
A: What will you do this vacation?
B: I'll fly to Malaysia for a week.
Is the above conversation incorrect from both a prescriptive and descriptive grammar point of view? I thought I knew the answer, but I found the following:
Advanced Grammar in Use (Cambridge) p.18
| Quote: |
We can use either will or be going to to talk about something that is planned, or something we think is likely to happen in the future:
We will study climate change in a later part of the course.
(or We are going...)
Where will you stay in Berlin? (or Where are going to stay...?) |
I think that is the first time I've ever seen a reference state that will can be used for something planned. Of course then it goes and on later states that we use will when making a decision at the moment of speaking and be going to for decision about the future that have already been made.
Thank you for any comments on this one. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 2:37 am Post subject: |
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| The Advanced grammar book examples sound OK but I think the problem with this is that you want to avoid non native speakers saying things like 'tomorrow I will go to the cinema' which sound unnatural. I'd say it's probably better to introduce different ways to talk about future plans at quite an early stage and try to get students away from using 'will' as a catch all for everything they do in the future. |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 2:48 am Post subject: Re: Question on will vs. going to |
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| raewon wrote: |
I have a question about whether or not "will" can be used instead of "going to" for fixed plans in situations like these:
A: What will you do this vacation?
B: I'll fly to Malaysia for a week.
Is the above conversation incorrect from both a prescriptive and descriptive grammar point of view? I thought I knew the answer, but I found the following:
Advanced Grammar in Use (Cambridge) p.18
| Quote: |
We can use either will or be going to to talk about something that is planned, or something we think is likely to happen in the future:
We will study climate change in a later part of the course.
(or We are going...)
Where will you stay in Berlin? (or Where are going to stay...?) |
I think that is the first time I've ever seen a reference state that will can be used for something planned. Of course then it goes and on later states that we use will when making a decision at the moment of speaking and be going to for decision about the future that have already been made.
Thank you for any comments on this one. |
"Will" and "going to" are interchangable, but as mentioned above, overuse of "will" when discussing future plans is a mark of a non-native speaker.
As to things planned, "will" is often used to stress that a thing is not only planned but even more certain than "going to" would imply. |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:17 am Post subject: |
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| As someone with a lifelong interest in grammar & a graduate degree in english, I call any claim to a distinction between "I will" & "I'm going to" bogus. They are totally interchangeable, in everyday use & formal writing. |
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raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:35 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for the above replies.
As for the example in the reference (Where will you stay in Berlin?)
I'd answer with:
I'll stay at ~~~
I'm going to stay at~~~
OR
I'm staying at~~~~
They all sound OK to me and it's not something I would be deciding at the moment of speaking. I can understand not wanting to overuse will, but I still don't see why all the books (minus the example I found) state that "will" is not to be used for planned activities. |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:47 am Post subject: |
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| raewon wrote: |
Thank you for the above replies.
As for the example in the reference (Where will you stay in Berlin?)
I'd answer with:
I'll stay at ~~~
I'm going to stay at~~~
OR
I'm staying at~~~~
They all sound OK to me and it's not something I would be deciding at the moment of speaking. I can understand not wanting to overuse will, but I still don't see why all the books (minus the example I found) state that "will" is not to be used for planned activities. |
I've never heard of this "planned speech" rule. What books did you see that in?
| Quote: |
I'm staying at~~~~ |
This is the present tense, so it's not correct, but commonly used in causual speech. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 5:21 am Post subject: |
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[/quote]
As someone with a lifelong interest in grammar & a graduate degree in english, I call any claim to a distinction between "I will" & "I'm going to" bogus. They are totally interchangeable, in everyday use & formal writing.
[quote]
So if you asked someone what their plans for the weekend were and they replied
'I will visit my grandmother' or 'I'll visit my grandmother', you wouldn't think that sounds a little strange?
Maybe you have been exclusively around non-native speakers too long. I know you're one of these guys who thinks of Korea as home. |
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raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 5:34 am Post subject: |
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ontheway asked:
| Quote: |
| I've never heard of this "planned speech" rule. What books did you see that in? |
All of them. For example:
Understanding and Using English Grammar (Azar)
- be going to (not will) is used for planned activities
MyGrammarLab Advanced (Pearson)
- use will for spontaneous decisions
- It can be used for very formal arrangements
(Cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss the issue of identity cards.) |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:41 am Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
As someone with a lifelong interest in grammar & a graduate degree in english, I call any claim to a distinction between "I will" & "I'm going to" bogus. They are totally interchangeable, in everyday use & formal writing.
So if you asked someone what their plans for the weekend were and they replied
'I will visit my grandmother' or 'I'll visit my grandmother', you wouldn't think that sounds a little strange?
Maybe you have been exclusively around non-native speakers too long. I know you're one of these guys who thinks of Korea as home. |
A truly natural response would be something like:
'I'm Gonna drop by my grandma's house.' of 'I'm thinkin' 'bout goin' to my grandma's house.'
Maybe even dropping the 'I'm if you want to get really authentic. |
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Stain
Joined: 08 Jan 2014
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:43 am Post subject: |
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| Actually, "going to" isn't even in the equation. It's "gonna". |
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T-J
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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| ontheway wrote: |
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I'm staying at~~~~ |
This is the present tense, so it's not correct, but commonly used in causual speech. |
Really?
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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| T-J wrote: |
| ontheway wrote: |
| Quote: |
I'm staying at~~~~ |
This is the present tense, so it's not correct, but commonly used in causual speech. |
Really?
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Very common in casual speech, at least where I'm from...
"What are you planning to do this weekend?"
"I'm staying at my granny's house." or "I will stay at my granny's house." or "I'm going to stay at my granny's house." or just "My granny's."... etc... etc... etc... |
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T-J
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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This explanation is on the mark to me.
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Predictions/statements of fact
The auxiliary verb will is used in making predictions or simple statements of fact about the future.
The sun will rise at 6.30 tomorrow.
Lunch break today will be 10 minutes longer than usual.
In the year 2050 all students will have their own computers in school.
If you help me, I will help you.
Do you think she will come soon?
You won't pass your exams if you don't start working harder.
I know my parents won't let me go to the party.
Will it snow for Christmas?
I know she's sick, but will she be back in school tomorrow?
Intentions
The auxiliary verb going to is used in talking about intentions. (An intention is a plan for the future that you have already thought about.)
We're going to buy a new car next month.
I'm going to work in a bank when I leave school.
In the new year I'm going to stop eating so much junk.
He's not going to go to the dance. He's got too much work.
I'm not going to watch TV until my science project is finished.
Are you going to play basketball after school?
What are you going to have for lunch today?
Note: going to is often used in the past tense to talk about an unfulfilled intention. Examples: I was going to study for my grammar test, but I had no time. / He was going to call you, but he couldn't find his mobile phone. / My grandmother was going to visit us, but she fell and broke her arm.
Arrangements
The present continuous tense is used in talking about arrangements. (An arrangement is is a plan for the future that you have already thought about and discussed with someone else.)
I'm meeting my mother at the airport tomorrow.
Our grandparents are visiting us this Christmas.
Sorry, I can't stay after school today; I'm playing tennis with Jun-Sik.
My sister's going to the dentist tomorrow.
I'm not returning home for the holidays, so I can come to your party after all!
Are you doing anything on Sunday morning?
Do you know if he is going to the dance with Maiko next week?
Scheduled events
The present simple tense is usually used to refer to future events that are scheduled (and outside of our control).
Hurry up! The train departs in 10 minutes.
I leave Frankfurt at 5 o'clock in the morning and arrive in New York
at midnight the next day.
She has an appointment with the headmaster after school today.
There's no need to hurry. The train doesn't leave for another 30 minutes.
When does the meeting begin?
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http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/future.htm |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 5:44 am Post subject: |
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| raewon wrote: |
ontheway asked:
| Quote: |
| I've never heard of this "planned speech" rule. What books did you see that in? |
All of them. For example:
Understanding and Using English Grammar (Azar)
- be going to (not will) is used for planned activities
MyGrammarLab Advanced (Pearson)
- use will for spontaneous decisions
- It can be used for very formal arrangements
(Cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss the issue of identity cards.) |
I've always understood be going to to imply a plan was made for the activity to some degree.
For example if you actually plan with a friend to play tennis tomorrow, and someone says "what are you doing tomorrow?"
you would say:
"I'm going to play tennis tomorrow"
with the idea that the listener should be aware that you've planned this activity. |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:36 am Post subject: |
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"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"I'm playing tennis."
"I'll play tennis."
"I'm going to play tennis."
Same, same, & same. Clear meaning, all understood to mean the same thing, all grammatically correct.
T-J's list is interesting & shows natural preferences in different situations, but in fact you can swap in either other form in every example & it still works without changing the meaning in any substantial way.
The distinctions that do arise are far too subtle to have any place in a curriculum that isnt aimed at virtually fluent students. English grammar already presents enough obstacles to second-language learners. This neednt be one of them. |
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