Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[syoshioka99]

"I'm very sorrry, but the manager isn't here yet. Shall I have her call you when she gets in?" "No, I'll call back. If I call again in an hour, do you think she (will have arrived/ will arrive)?"

(Question)

The correct answer is 'will have arrived." But why not 'will arrive'???

Satoru

Tochigi, Japan

[MrPedantic]

Hello Syo

"Will have" + the past participle constitutes the "future perfect tense". You use this when you want to present an action that will be complete at a particular time in the future.

In your example, you want to present the action "the manager's arrival" as complete at the time you call back. Therefore you use the future perfect.

MrP

[alan.es]

Just adding a little, if that's possible, to Mr.P's answer with which I agree completely.

"Will have" means that you definitely expect the manager to arrive some time after your first call and when you telephone again. ----- the action to be completed during the specified time between the calls.

"Will" means that you expect the manager to arrive at the time of your second call or some time later...........the action to be completed at some unspecified time in the future.

Maybe that helps a little more as you don't seem to have seen this reply from Mr.P.

[syoshioka99]

Both 'will have arrived' and 'will arrive' can be used as correct answers?


Satoru

[alan.es]

No, they can't. If I've given you that idea, I'm sorry.

The only correct answer is "will have arrived".

You expect the manager to have arrived by the time that you make the second telephone call so that you will be able to speak to her then.

You don't expect to call a second time and find that she hasn't arrived and you need to call a third time in order to speak to her.

[syoshioka99]

If I call the manager in an hour again, will she arrive there?

If I call the manager in an hour again, will she be there?

If I call the manage in an hour again, will she be back?
(question)

Are all of them correct gramatically? (Not your preference)

Satoru

Tochigi, japan

[alan.es]

All three can be used and are correct grammatically though possibly expressing less patience and politeness than the version using the future perfect.

The first is a little strange as you seem to be asking that your call will somehow actually make her arrive.

If I call the manager in an hour again, will she arrive there?

I would also prefer this word order:

If I call the manager again in an hour, will she be there?

If I call the manage again in an hour, will she be back?

[syoshioka99]

If I call the manager in an hour again, will she arrive there?

If I call the manager in an hour again, will she be there?

If I call the manage in an hour again, will she be back?


All three can be used and are correct grammatically though possibly expressing less patience and politeness than the version using the future perfect.

(question) If the first one above is correct, why can't I choose "will arrive in the following sentence"?

"I'm very sorrry, but the manager isn't here yet. Shall I have her call you when she gets in?" "No, I'll call back. If I call again in an hour, do you think she (will have arrived/ will arrive)?"

syoshioka99

Japan

[alan.es]

You really don't want to let this one go, do you?

However I also said that this first version sounded a little strange:

The verbs 'arrive' and 'call' are actions that occur and are completed at specific moments in time.

- If I call the manager in an hour again, will she arrive there?

So this asks if the manager will arrive after I call again. I won't be able to speak to her because she still won't be there - she will arrive later!

"I'm very sorrry, but the manager isn't here yet. Shall I have her call you when she gets in?" "No, I'll call back. If I call again in an hour, do you think she (will have arrived/ will arrive)?"

In this example, there is no possible doubt that 'will have arrived' is the correct answer.

You are asking if the manager will arrive ( at a specific point of time) between the time of the first and second call so she will be there so you can speak to her.

It's rather pointless asking if she will arrive (at a specific point of time) after your second call.

:)Hope that helps!!