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I understand that we use the auxiliary verb "will" to denote future events.

We may use the form "I'm going to ..." in a situation where the action was arranged in advance.

Let's say I'm going out. At the door I changed my mind.

Can I say: "I will stay at home tonight." this, while when the action was known in advance the correct thing to say might have been: "I'm going to stay at home tonight."

Can I only change between the two when the action was known or unknown before talking about it?

Thanks, I hope I was clear enough with my question.

Free_spirit · Accepted Answer

One way of looking at "will" is a statement of intention (this is my view, not from a grammar book). "I will...", "I am going to...", "I plan on...", "I intend to..." all have a similar meaning. They denote future events. However, just because you intend it now (in the present), you can change your mind - hence I suggest that it implies intention.

You two example sentences mean the same thing. I don't know if we can talk about a future unknown even in a similar way. You would have to talk hypothetically, conditionally, or with uncertainty, or make a prediction.

e.g.

Hypothetically: "Speaking hypothetically, if I was to rob a bank I would be rich." (note, here I have no intention - I'm just speaking about the idea that I could becoming rich through robbing a bank)

Conditionally: "I will go out tonight, if it isn't raining" (I intend to go out, but only if it isn't raining)

Uncertainty: "I might go out tonight, but I haven't decided yet." (Maybe I will, maybe I won't)

Prediction: "I am going to win the lottery tonight." (Will this really happen?)

It would seem rather unusual if you were to make a statement such as:

"I don't know that I'm going out tonight."

It isn't logically consistent.

I think you can really only talk about unknown events once they have become know.

"I had planned on going out tonight, but my parents arrived and stayed for dinner."

So, I had the intention of going out, but the unexpected (unknown) event of my parents arriving caused my plans to change.

ShaNap · Answer

I'll have to contemplate about these things for a while.

Maybe I'll change my question.

Avangi · Answer

You can make a statement about the future without knowing if it is actually true.

I will/ it will/ I'm going to/ it's going to etc.

I'm sure it will rain before morning.
I'm not going to make this mistake again.

- A.

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