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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Future tense

There is an exercise where one should decide which two options are correct.
No cotext rather than below is given.
We've run out of fuel.
A. What will we do now
B. What do we do now
C. What are we going to do now
I believe that all three options should work but the correct answers are limited to B and C only. Why do not I say "what will we do now" as my immediate decision taken at the time of speaking. Please give me you thoughs. Thank you.
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Top answer

All will indeed work and are used by native speakers. Grammarians like to exclude A on the grounds that the 'will'-future is only a simple objective inquiry about the future, not about a present decision.

— Mister Micawber

  • All will indeed work and are used by native speakers.
  • Grammarians like to exclude A on the grounds that the 'will'-future is only a simple objective inquiry about the future, not about a present decision.
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6 Answers
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All will indeed work and are used by native speakers. Grammarians like to exclude A on the grounds that the 'will'-future is only a simple objective inquiry about the future, not about a present decision.
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Thank you but am I right suggesting that A should work on the assumption that the decision was made at the moment of speaking (i.e. at the time when we thing that we've run of fuel). Thanks
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No. That is not the function of the 'will' future, as I have already said.
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Mister Micawber'will'-future is only a simple objective inquiry about the future, not about a present decision.
Sorry, I don't understand this part especially the "simple objective inquiry about the future". Please explain.
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Also, isn't B not about a present decision because "are going to" refers to the future?
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Anonymousthe correct answers are limited to B and C only
Interesting. It seems all three would work.

I have an explanation for why A was not considered correct, but I can't promise that it's the same reasoning used by the test-makers.

"will" gives the impression that we already have the answer of what to do or that we will spontaneously see
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