going to, will, ing---help

bugil · Post by **bugil** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:51 am

my first posting here

a) I am meeting him tomorrow
b) I am going to met him tomorrow
c) I will meet him tomorrow

what is the difference? and how to explain it to students?

thanks

sbourque · Post by **sbourque** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:00 am

A)Generally, textbooks will say that the present progressive and the "going to" forms indicate plans made.

"I'm going to Los Angeles and renting a car. " (=you've got the tickets and made the reservation)

"I'm going to Los Angeles. I'll (probably) rent a car." (you're considering renting, but haven't made a car reservation)

B)We also use "will" for on-the spot decisions:
"Someone's at the door. I'll get it."

C)You also use "going to" for predictions such as
"Look at that sky! It's going to rain."

I think a lot of the distinctions are arbitrary, and in actual conversation people tend to use the -ing form and the "going to" (pronounced "gonna" by Americans!) except in example B, when we always say "will": I'll do it, I'll take her, I'll bring the wine etc.

bugil · Post by **bugil** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:42 am

thanx suborque

i know those distinstions are abitrary but I have to teach them because they are in the units I will be covering soon...

so actually 'i am going to meet my friends in LA and I meeting my friends in LA' mean the same thing...all the arrangements are done, phone calls made to riends...am i right?

so how about ''I am planning to meet my friends in LA''..is it like 'I am thinking to meet my friends in LA'....??

Lorikeet · Post by **Lorikeet** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:42 pm

bugil wrote: so how about ''I am planning to meet my friends in LA''..is it like 'I am thinking to meet my friends in LA'....??

To me, "I am planning to meet my friends in LA" means you already bought the tickets, told your friends you were coming, etc. "I am thinking about meeting my friends in LA." means you haven't decided what you are going to do yet.

bugil · Post by **bugil** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:32 am

then they all mean the same thing?

I am going to meet my friends in LA=I am meeting my friends in LA=I am planning to meet my friends in LA

there must be some minor differences somewhere..

i read somewhere that 'planning to' has more details than 'going to'. Like if I say ' I am palnning to meet my friends in LA', that means I know exactly where in LA and what time.. is that right?

I am a bit confused here..

thanx for all your replies

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:37 am

bugil wrote:my first posting here

a) I am meeting him tomorrow
b) I am going to met him tomorrow
c) I will meet him tomorrow

what is the difference? and how to explain it to students?

thanks

A good basic guide:

TENSES

FUTURE FORMS

Introduction
There are a number of different ways of referring to the future in English. It is important to remember that we are expressing more than simply the time of the action or event. Obviously, any 'future' tense will always refer to a time 'later than now', but it may also express our attitude to the future event.

All of the following ideas can be expressed using different tenses:

a. Simple prediction
b. Arrangements
c. Plans and intentions
d. Time-tabled events
e. Prediction based on present evidence
f. Willingness
g. An action in progress in the future
h. An action or event that is a matter of routine
i. Obligation
j. An action or event that will take place immediately or very soon
k. Projecting ourselves into the future and looking back at a completed action.

The example sentences below correspond to the ideas above:

a. There will be snow in many areas tomorrow.
b. I'm meeting Jim at the airport.
c. We're going to spend the summer abroad.
d. The plane takes off at 3 a.m.
e. I think it's going to rain!
f. We'll give you a lift to the cinema.
g. This time next week I'll be sun-bathing.
h. You'll be seeing John in the office tomorrow, won't you?
i. You are to travel directly to London.
j. The train is about to leave.
k. A month from now he will have finished all his exams.

It is clear from these examples that several tenses are used to express the future. The sections that follow show the form and function of each of these tenses.

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/Tenses13.cfm

mrandmrsjohnqsmith · Post by **mrandmrsjohnqsmith** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:49 am

Bugil has covered the basics; those are good rules of thumb. I have no idea what Metal56 is talking about, maybe I've had too much sake tonight!

The reason I'm piping up is to interject something about "planning to..."

I'd discourage you from saying that "planning to" is equal to "going to..."

"Planning to..." is sometimes used to state an intention that has not yet been thoroughly planned.

"I'm planning to do X" can mean I intend to do X, but I'm still in the process of making my plans (or I'm procrastinating, and really have no actual plan yet, just an intention).

So it could indicate definite plans, for example, we're in the process of saving our money and have made a reservation to rent(hire) a car and intend to take a trip to the coast, therefore, "we're planning to take a trip to the coast" (or "we're planning a trip to the coast").

However, if I only have a fantasy of taking a trip to the coast, but haven't actually started saving my money, haven't called the car rental company, etc., but I definitely have a vision in my head of taking a trip to the coast at some undetermined point in the future, I might still say "I'm planning to take a trip to the coast."

So the plans may or may not be fully, or partially, materialized. I hope that's not too metaphysical a way of putting it.

Sounds silly, doesn't it? Well, people are silly, and people's wot speakum da language, ain't it so!

Next lesson's on me! Y'all come on down to my neck o' tha woods and I'll learn ya how to say "fixin' to...,"
or for short, "fin'na!"

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going to, will, ing---help

going to, will, ing---help

Re: going to, will, ing---help

Planning to...