Question

what tense is this sentence in ? At this time tomorrow I will be lying on the beach

Nikoo · Accepted Answer

AnonymousAt this time tomorrow, I will be lying on the beach.

Future progressive.

Fivejedjon · Answer

NikooFuture progressive.

That is indeed what some coursebooks and grammars aimed at learners say.

Many grammarians, however, believe that English has no future tense and, therefore, no 'future progressive'. They would say, as I do, that we have here the modal WILL followed by a progressive (/continouous) bare infinitive..

Nikoo · Answer

I'd really appreciate if you could cite some of them. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Fivejedjon · Answer

Some writers consider that a construction such as he will play is an example of a FUTURE tense. These include: Angus (1870.207), Ash (1785.45), Azar (1999.2), Bullokar (1586.24), Cobbett (1820.42), Cooper (1685.146ff). , Curme (1931.362), Eckersley (1955.119-9), Lowth (1762.47-9), Mason (1882.56-7), Morris (1890.54), Murray(1795.60), Priestley (1761.42), Sinclair et al (1990.255), Sweet (1898.85ff), Wood (1954.165, 1965.171) and Zandvoort (1957.58.

Other writers consider that it is not a future tense. These include: Aitken (1992.63), Biber et al (1999.453), Gildon & Brightland (1746.104), Chalker (1984.98). Christophersen & Sandved (1969.195), Close (1975.11-12), Jespersen (1909-49.IV.3-4, 1933.231), Kruisinga (1931. I.463-499), Leech (2004.56), Leech & Svartik (1975.306), Lewis (1988.50), Palmer & Blandford [& Kingdon] (1969.209), F R Palmer, (1965.62 1979.13), Poutsma (1926.9.), Quirk et al (1972.84-7, 1973.40,47, 1985.176), Schibsbye (1970.84-6), Wallis (1653.51), and Yule (1998.58).

Yet other writers have different thoughts. Some, Daniel (1904.75), Hornby (1954.83-4,104), Hurford (1994.239-40), Johnson (1755.6*), and Onions (1904.108) call it a compound tense or, Declerck (2004.24), a complex tense form. Thomson & Martinet (1986.187) state: There is no future tense in modern English, but for convenience we often use the term ‘future simple to describe the form will/shall + bare infinitive. Alexander (1988.159) adopts a similar policy, and Celce-Murcia & Larsen-Freeman (1999.110) state that it is not a tense, and then treat it as such. Parrott (2000.167-182) considers it to be one of a lot of different verb forms to refer to future time; he also refers to these verb forms as future tenses. Carter & McCarthy (2006. 629-636) adopt a similar policy, though do not refer specifically to the WILL construction as a future tense.

Nikoo · Answer

Thank you so much <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/74.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/74.gif' alt='Emotion: bow'/>

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