Exercise on future 2

Question

Dear teachers,

Here is another exercise. Would you please correct it ?

A- Hello Henry how are you?
B- Fine and you ?
A- Not so bad, thanks. Listen I’m ringing to arrange a meeting with you. a) I’M COMING TO London next week to see some customers. b1) I’M SEEING them / b2) GOING TO SEE them (possible ?) in the morning. c) WILL you be free any time this afternoon?

B- d) I WON’T BE in London I’m afraid. e) I’M GOING for a few days on business.
A- Oh. Where f) ARE YOU GOING ?
B- To Germany. I have a meeting in Bonn. My company g1) IS OPENING / g2) WILL OPEN (?) an office there next year.

A- Mmm. Sounds exciting. When h1) WILL YOU GO / h2) ARE YOU GOING ?
B- On Monday evening, and i1) I WON’T BE back / i2) I AM NOT GOING TO BE back until Thursday morning.

A- Oh, well. I could stay overnight and see you then. What time j1) DOES / j2) WILL your plane GET in / j3) IS your plan GETTING in ?

B- 10.40, so if I get a taxi, k) I’LL / COULD BE in my office at 12.00.
A- On second thoughts, don’t do that. l) I’LL SEE you at the airport. We can talk there. m) We WILL HAVE FINISHED by 2.00, probably, so then we can have something to eat and I can get the 3.00 shuttle back to Manchester. How does that sound?

B- Fine. We’ll sort it out then. Thanks for ringing.
A- Cheerio. n) I’LL SEE you on Thursday. Have a good trip.

Thank you very much indeed!
Best regards,
Hela

MrPedantic · Accepted Answer

Hello Hela,

a) I’M COMING TO London next week to see some customers. ] FINE
b1) I’M SEEING them in the morning – ] It would be more usual to state the day as well, if it's next week.
b2) GOING TO SEE them in the morning.] ditto
c) WILL you be free any time this afternoon? ] Not 'this afternoon' if it's some time 'next week': 'will you be free on [e.g.] Wednesday afternoon?'

d) I WON’T BE in London I’m afraid. ] FINE
e) I’M GOING for a few days on business. ] going away
A- Oh. Where f) ARE YOU GOING ? ] Fine
B- To Germany. I have a meeting in Bonn. My company g1) IS OPENING ] OK
/ g2) WILL OPEN (?) an office there next year. ] No; though you could say 'will be opening'.

A- Mmm. Sounds exciting.] I think A is being a little sarcastic here.
When h1) WILL YOU GO ] No. 'When will you be going?'
/ h2) ARE YOU GOING ? ] FINE
B- On Monday evening, and i1) I WON’T BE back] FINE
/ i2) I AM NOT GOING TO BE back until Thursday morning. ] FINE, as 'I'm not going to be back'; but previous answer better.

A- Oh, well. I could stay overnight and see you then. What time j1) DOES / ] FINE
j2) WILL your plane GET in ] No; but 'will your plane be getting in' is ok.
/ j3) IS your plane GETTING in ? ] Not very likely; but not ungrammatical.

B- 10.40, so if I get a taxi, k) I’LL ] OK
/ COULD BE in my office at 12.00. ] BETTER

A- On second thoughts, don’t do that. l) I’LL SEE you at the airport. ] FINE
We can talk there. m) We WILL HAVE FINISHED by 2.00, probably, ] FINE
so then we can have something to eat and I can get the 3.00 shuttle back to Manchester. How does that sound? ] Manchester? Terrible.

B- Fine. We’ll sort it out then. Thanks for ringing.

A- Cheerio. ] 'Cheerio' is rarely heard these days in this context. Also, it would usually be the last thing said.

n) I’LL SEE you on Thursday. ] Or just 'See you Thursday'.
Have a good trip.

See you,
MrP

Hela · Answer

Thank you very much indeed Mr Pedantic!

Would you please explain to me your use of the future progressive in the 3 cases here?

g2) WILL OPEN (?) an office there next year. ] No; though you could say 'will be opening'

When h1) WILL YOU GO ] No. 'When will you be going?'

j2) WILL your plane GET in ] No; but 'will your plane be getting in' is ok.

Any more Future Progressives ?

All the best,
Hela

CalifJim · Answer

Here's an American version, in case you want to compare. CJ

A- Hi, Ken, how are you?
B- Fine, and you ?
A- Not bad, thanks. Listen, I’m calling to arrange a meeting with you.
I’M COMING TO L.A. next week to see some customers. I’M [GOING TO / GONNA] BE SEEING them in the morning. [ARE you / WILL you be] free any time this afternoon?

B- I'm afraid I WON’T BE in L.A. I’M [GOING to / GONNA] be away on business for a few days.
A- Oh. Where ARE YOU GOING ?
B- To Mexico. I have a meeting in Monterey. My company IS OPENING an office there next year.

A- Mmm. Sounds exciting. When ARE YOU GOING ?
B- Monday night, and I WON’T BE back till Thursday morning.

A- Oh, well. I could stay overnight and see you then. What time DOES your plane GET in?

B- 10:40, so if I get a taxi, I SHOULD BE in my office BY 12.00.
A- On second thought, don’t do that. I’LL SEE you at the airport. We can talk there. We'LL probably [FINISH / BE FINISHED] by 2.00, so we can get something to eat, and I can catch the 3.00 shuttle back to San Diego. How does that sound?

B- Fine. We’ll work it out then. Thanks for calling.
A- Sure thing. SEE you on Thursday. Have a good trip.

Hela · Answer

Thank you CJ, I'll have a look at it!

All the best,
Hela

MrPedantic · Answer

Hello again Hela

Would you please explain to me your use of the future progressive in the 3 cases here?

Well...this falls firmly within the category of 'post facto rationalization', but:

It seems to me that the future progressive is used for events whose precise time we do not know, or do not care to express, e.g.

1. 'Thank you very much for coming to the interview, Ms Hela. We'll be contacting all the candidates next week...' [Deliberately vague.]

2. 'Uncle Frank will be arriving some time next week, so we'd better tidy up the spare room.' [Uncle Frank still hasn't told us when he's arriving.]

3. 'Will you be wanting anything else?' [Someone in a 'service industry' to a customer: vagueness = deference.]

It also seems to be used for events where we do know the precise time, but which have a continuous connection with the present:

4. 'We'll be opening our new office in Roissy-en-Brie next year.' [Preparations are already being made.]

5. 'Fine, I'll see you in Starbucks in 10 minutes. I'll be sitting upstairs as usual.' [They're both on their way.]

Compare:

1a. 'Thank you very much for coming to the interview, Ms Hela. We'll contact you next week.' [Startlingly direct – you've got the job.]

2a. 'Uncle Frank will arrive some time next week, so we'd better tidy up the spare room.' [A slight air of firmness: there is no doubt that the spare room is about to be tidied.]

3a. 'Do you want anything else?' [Someone in a 'service industry' to a customer: directness = rudeness.]

4a. 'We will open our new office in Roissy-en-Brie next year.' [And that's final. No argument.]

5a. 'Till Friday, then, my friend...We shall meet at our little café, in the Place de la Vendôme, just as we used to do...And I shall sit in the window, in my usual place...' [Elderly, rather over-powdered lady, on the phone to her old admirer. She often says 'whom', has a Pekingese, and is probably played by Audrey Hepburn.]

That said, sometimes (as in some of these examples) a simple present or present progressive works too. So I'd be interested in any second opinions.

See you,
MrP

Exercise on future 2

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