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Chariot Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

help with the future tense, please

When do you go away on holiday? (1)

In what context is sentence (1) valid?

If I know my friend is going on holiday, is (1) valid? Instead of (1), are (2) and (3) and (4)correct?

When will you be going away on holiday? (2) when are you going away on holiday? (3) When are you going to go away on holiday? (4)

Thanks.
  

Top answer

e. a particular planned holiday of which the questioner is aware) In this case, the present tense is often used instead of the future tense, even though the "going away on holiday" will happen in the future. g.

— BruceInUK

  • e.
  • a particular planned holiday of which the questioner is aware) In this case, the present tense is often used instead of the future tense, even though the "going away on holiday" will happen in the future.
  • g.
  • every August) In the first context, any of the options (1) - (4) would be correct ways of asking the question, although (4) is slightly clumsy because of the repeated use of the verb "to go".
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6 Answers
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Sentence (1) is valid in two possible contexts:

(a) It can mean "When will you be going away on holiday?" (i.e. a particular planned holiday of which the questioner is aware) In this case, the present tense is often used instead of the future tense, even though the "going away on holiday" will happen in the future.

(b) Or it can mean "When do you usually take your holidays?" (
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<In the first context, any of the options (1) - (4) would be correct ways of asking the question, although (4) is slightly clumsy because of the repeated use of the verb "to go".>

There is no repetition. The construction is be going to + verb (i.e. auxiliary + verb).
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Yes I understand that - I just feel it's a somewhat cumbersome way of expressing the sentence, given the other available options.
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BruceInUKYes I understand that - I just feel it's a somewhat cumbersome way of expressing the sentence, given the other available options.
It's a useful construction in some contexts.
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Hi,

It's also the kind of thing we say a gazillion times a day.

Best wishes, Clive
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Clive
Hi,

It's also the kind of thing we say a gazillion times a day.

Best wishes, Clive

Indeed. Think of the force, immediacy and impulsiveness behind "I'm going to go (and) tell my boss just what I think of him" over "I'm going to (and) tell my boss just what I think of him".

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