Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cornfed]

Does anyone know the difference in meaning, if any, between the present continuous used as future, the use of "going to" and the simple future tense e.g.
1. I'm going shopping tonight.
2. I'm going to go shopping tonight.
3. I'll go shopping tonight.

I'd think 1 is for firm statements of supposed fact, 2 is for firm intentions and 3 is for predictions or less certain plans, although they can be used fairly much interchangeably. Is this right?

[Ya-ta Boy]

I personally use them interchangeably with no difference whatsoever in my meaning.

[Thiuda]

In English there are several ways to indicate future time. The sentences you provided seem synonymous to me, though differences in meaning could be conveyed through prosody.

[bogey666]

[Cornfed]

I think I probably unconciously use them as stated. The question arose as to why the "going to" form even exists. I suppose you have to use it with the verb to be, but otherwise it seems redundant if the forms really are interchangable.

[Fishead soup]

I will eat corn on my pizza tonight

I'm going to feed my children corn tonight

I will be fed corn tonight

I am cornfed I am corny

[yawarakaijin]

As far as I'm concerned they are all interchangable when indicating a future plan. Many, many textbooks tell you there is a distinction between when the plan was made or how sure of doing you are but I don't buy it.

In terms of everyday use the only hard rule I make sure my students understand is when reacting to an event.

When the phone rings you respond with "Don't worry, I'll answer it."
Never with a.) I am going to answer it.
b.) I'm answering it.

[Unposter]

While I do think they are used interchangeably, especially the first two, my understanding is that there is a nuance between 1,2 + 3.

going to = plan or concsious decision to do something

I am going to go camping next summer

will = immediate or unconscious decision or a prediction for the future.

Does anyone here want to go camping with me this weekend? Sure, I'll go (not I am going to go).

Who do you think will go on the camping trip?
I think John will go.

Number 2 basically is grammatically correct but unnecessary as English tends toward fewer words unless you are a poet, a linguist or any kind of academic in which case the more words from obscure sources the better.

[ernie]

to clarify ^ a bit, yes, they are often interchangeable, but there is a subtle difference:

'be going to' is for plans that are already made.
'will' is used to make a plan now.

A: What's up?
B: I'm going to go to the movies tonight. <The plan was established before now> Do you want to come?
A: Sure! I'll join you. <A is making the plan right now>

in that situation, B would never say "I will go to the movies tonight", and A would never say "I'm going to join you" unless they had earlier decided to go to the movies with B.

[zpeanut]

yeah from what I remember present continuous can be used for both future plans and actions that are incomplete and in process.

1. I'm going to go/going out tonight.
2. I'm going to school.