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EcoAli Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Correct grammar?

I have just completed a TEFL certificate course and I have always prided myself on speaking the Queen's English - I believe it is called RP (Receptive Pronunciation). However, I was appalled to find that I had answered one of the grammar questions in my exam with an incorrect answer. I need to clarify whether or not it is possible in good English to say "Tom will be going to play tennis tomorrow" I am not intending to use the "be going to" grammatical form. I am simply saying that Tom will be going somewhere tomorrow. Where will he be going? He will be going to play tennis. If you tell me that I can't say that I will have to (reluctantly) agree with you but I am sure that I say it all the time! My teacher (who is Polish) tells me that it is grammatically incorrect. Is she right?
  

Top answer

" is not correct. The problem is that you have a "double future," since "is going to" is already a future statement (thus you don't need to also add a "will" to it). "

— Anonymous

  • " is not correct.
  • The problem is that you have a "double future," since "is going to" is already a future statement (thus you don't need to also add a "will" to it).
  • "
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22 Answers
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The sentence "Tom will be going to play tennis tomorrow." is not correct. The problem is that you have a "double future," since "is going to" is already a future statement (thus you don't need to also add a "will" to it). So you either say, "Tom is going to play tennis tomorrow." or Tom will play tennis tomorrow." - but not "Tom will be going to play tennis tomorrow."
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Note that you can say, "He will be going to the tennis courts tomorrow." - "will be going" is future tense, and "to the tennis courts" is an adverbial phrase modifying the verb. However, you can't say, "He will be going to play tennis tomorrow." because "is going to" is already future and equivalent to the single word "will." So you have essentially said: He will will play tennis tomorrow."
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AnonymousThe problem is that you have a "double future," since "is going to" is already a future statement
No. He already explained that that wasn't the meaning he intended. Read his post again.

The sentence is fine.

CJ
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I like this answer! Little Miss Perfect doesn't like to be wrong!Emotion: big smile
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Welcome to English Forums, EcoAli.

RP = Received Pronunciation (BBC English). I don't quite see the connection with grammar.
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You're right! It was a bit of a long bow! I simply meant that I have always prided myself on speaking proper English - I am English - and it was a real shock to get one of the grammar questions wrong in my exam. I like CalifJim's answer. The point is that I am not actually intending to use the 'be going to' form of the verb. The actual question in the exam was: Correct the following English senten
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The sentence, "Tom will be going to play tennis tomorrow.", at first glance, seems okay, but when you run it across your tongue a few times, you see that it's not. This is not proper English. This is the kind of thing that non-native speakers will come up with, things that are almost grammatical, but that a native speaker would not say. I see your logic here. You want to simply say that he's g
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Thank you, Tom. You are not the Tom 'who will be going to play tennis tomorrow' are you? Only kidding! Thank you for your post.
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Tom will be going to the store tomorrow.

Tom will be going to the movies tomorrow.

Tom will be going to the park to play tennis tomorrow.

Tom will be going out to play tennis tomorrow.

Tome goes to play tennis three days a week.

Tom will be going to play tennis tomorrow.

I think it's fine.
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