Confusion in future tense !

Question

Hi,On a website- englishpage.comthe correct answer(as displayed) for a grammar test question is:Tom (call) is going to call when he (arrive) arrives in Madrid. He (stay) is going to stay with you for two or three days until his new apartment (be) is available. and in another exercise the correct answer(as shown) is:Lucy: I (call) will call you as soon as I arrive in Dublin. I am confused, which one should I take as correct?plz help, as english is not my first language and I have to give training of tenses.Gunjan

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

There is no real future tense in English.

The verb form we choose depends on what you are thinking when you speak.

In general, be careful with "will" for the future. Any good grammar book will show you that you may add meanings that you do not intend when you use it.

The 2 forms you mention are the best to use for learners. "be going to vb" is used to show a plan, something you would like to do, but have not organised. "be vb-ing" is used for arrangements - pretty solid future plans.

So we get -

I'm flying out on Sunday (he has tickets)

I'm going to swim in the Mediterranean (you can't organise this)

There are, as ever, exceptions, but hese rules will get you going.

Cool Breeze · Answer

Sarojwal GunjanTom (call) is going to call when

Correct. Could also be Tom will call but since there's no indirect object such as me in this clause, the longer structure is going to call may sound better to many.

Sarojwal GunjanI (call) will call you as soon as I arrive in Dublin.

Correct. Could also be I am going to call you...

The choice is often a personal preference and people will argue over the "correct" version. There may also be regional differences. I once listened to a Scot's intersting lecture about the use of shall and will in northern England and Scotland. The only thing I remember is that for a certain meaning, the Scots use shall and the English will.

CB

CalifJim · Answer

Sarojwal GunjanOn a website- englishpage.com

the correct answer(as displayed) for a grammar test question is:

Tom (call) is going to call when he (arrive) arrives in Madrid. He (stay) is going to stay with you for two or three days until his new apartment (be) is available.

and in another exercise the correct answer(as shown) is:

Lucy: I (call) will call you as soon as I arrive in Dublin.

I am confused, which one should I take as correct?

The part in parentheses was the question. You were supposed to transform the verb in parentheses to form the correct answer. The correct answer is the part that is not in parentheses.

Question: Tom (call) when he (arrive) in Madrid.
Answer: Tom is going to call where he arrives in Madrid.

What's confusing is that they have given both the question and the answer together in the same sentences.

As for "will" vs. "going to", both are correct in those sentences, if that's what you're asking about. Perhaps one sentence came from an exercise on the use of "going to", and another came from an exercise on the use of "will". It depends on the context in which the exercises occurred.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned this but the example sentence – Tom (call) when he (arrive) in Madrid- is also an example of the first conditional.

I’d like to point out that with the 1^st conditional we can never use a future form twice (in both clauses) e.g. Tom will call when he will arrive. This is incorrect as with this conditional form we would normally use present simple along with “will” OR “GOING TO”. Both are correct.

Possible correct answers –

Tom is going to call when he arrives

Tom will call when he arrives

These are also possible correct answers with subtle changes in meaning. Vocal stress is important to fully understand the meaning of the sentences.

Tom is calling when he arrives

Tom is going to call when he has arrived

Tom is calling when he has arrived

Tom will call when he was arrived

Confusion in future tense !

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions