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HSS Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Be Going To, Will

0I feel uncomfortable when somebody says something like, "I decided I am going to be a doctor," or, "I decided I was going to be a doctor." 'Be going to' should be used when what the verb following 'to' describes definately happens or materializes. A profession can be pursued but nobody is sure it can be achieved in the end. I would say, "I decided that I would like to be a doctor," instead. I think the same thing goes for an utterance like, "I decided I will be a doctor," or, "I decided I would be a doctor."02br
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00What would the English-speaking native speakers say?02br
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00Hiro/ Sendai, Japan0-
  

Top answer

" 'Be going to' should be used when what the verb following 'to' describes 01i 01font 00definately happens or materializes02font 02i 00. A profession can be pursued but nobody is sure it can be achieved in the end. I would say, "I decided that I would like to be a doctor," instead.

— Clive

  • " 'Be going to' should be used when what the verb following 'to' describes 01i 01font 00definately happens or materializes02font 02i 00.
  • A profession can be pursued but nobody is sure it can be achieved in the end.
  • I would say, "I decided that I would like to be a doctor," instead.
  • "02font 02br 02br 00I don't agree with the high-lighted phrase above.
  • Nothing about the future is definite.
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15 Answers
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0Hi,02br
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01font00I feel uncomfortable when somebody says something like, "I decided I am going to be a doctor," or, "I decided I was going to be a doctor." 'Be going to' should be used when what the verb following 'to' describes 01i01font00definately happens or materializes02font02i00.
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0 01i00I decided I was going to be a doctor02i00 is just fine. The intended result does not need to materialize in order to use "going to" correctly.02br
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00 CJ0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10HSS12cite12br
10I feel uncomfortable when somebody says something like, "I decided I am going to be a doctor," or, "I decided I was going to be a doctor." 'Be going to' should be used when what the verb following 'to' describes definately happens or materializes. A profession can be pursued but nobody is sure it can be ac
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0Thanks, all. Very informative.02br
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00Sorry for the brevity of my post. I have to be out of my office right away. I'm running my fingers on the keyboard like crazy.02br
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00How about, "I decided that I was becoming a doctor," or "I decided that I am becoming a doctor"?02br
02br
00Hiro/ Sendai, Japan0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10HSS12cite10Thanks, all. Very informative.12br
12br
10Sorry for the brevity of my post. I have to be out of my office right away. I'm running my fingers on the keyboard like crazy.12br
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10How about, "I decided that I was becoming a doctor," or "I decided that I am becoming a doctor"?12
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0All that having been said and pondering what I have heard and read, I gather the "be going to" form gives you an impression of more determinedness of the speaker whereas the present progressive one of more certainty of the result of the action. Aren't I right? Something like, "I'm staying at this hotel tonight," makes you think "I" is more likely to stay at the hotel than "I will stay" or "I'm
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0Hi,02br
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00Generally speaking, yes, I agree with you.02br
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00Clive0-
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0Lots of high school students here write sentences like, "I will go to" this and that university, or, "I am going to go to" this and that college before taking the entrance exams --- before they haven't gotten the ticket to be enrolled --- when told to render English translations. Particularly when they talk about a college difficult to be admitted into, these translations sound odd to me since
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0Hi,02br
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01font00Shouldn't the phrasing be something like . . . . . "I'm going to apply to" instead?00 Yes, since they haven't yet been accepted. 02font02br
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00Clive0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10HSS12cite10All that having been said and pondering what I have heard and read, I gather the "be going to" form gives you an impression of more determinedness of the speaker whereas the present progressive one of more certainty of the result of the action. Aren't I right? Something like, "I'm staying at this hotel tonight," makes
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