I will pray that he wins/will win.

Question

I learned from my grammar books that we usually use only one "will" in either the main clause or the noun clause/relative clause. For example:

I'll give 10 dollars to anybody who washes my car.
The man who marries my daughter will need to be tough and quick-thinking.
This discovery will mean that we spend less on food.
I will pray that he wins.

But I'm wondering if I could use "will" in both parts of them. Like:

I'll give 10 dollars to anybody who will wash my car.
The man who will marry my daughter will need to be tough and quick-thinking.
This discovery will mean that we will spend less on food.
I will pray that he will win.

Are those examples acceptable? I also saw another sentence using "will" in both parts:

I'll tell him that I'll call back later.

Why sometimes it's OK to use "will" in both parts and sometimes it doesn't? Please enlighten me with my question, thank you very much!

Viceidol · Accepted Answer

Could you give me some opinion about this question? Thank you!

Marius Hancu · Answer

Tense simplification (future-> present) is preferred but not mandatory in relative subordinates. Check Swan.
"I'll give * to anybody who"

http://books.google.com/books?q=%22I%27ll+give+*++to+anybody+who%22&lr=&sa=N&start=10

CalifJim · Answer

I'll give 10 dollars to anybody who will wash my car. Possible. Meaning: to anybody who willingly consents to wash my car and does so successfully. Rather "legalistic" sounding, as if this were a legal contract. We don't know yet who the car washer is, so will wash is not the best choice.

The man who will marry my daughter will need to be tough and quick-thinking. Not very good. The man who marries is much better. First, we don't know yet who the man is. Second, we don't want to imply accidentally the man who willingly consents to marry my daughter, as if there's something wrong with her!

This discovery will mean that we will spend less on food. Not very good. This discovery means is much better. The discovery has already been made. It's meaning is already known. It's going to mean the same thing later that it means now, so there's no sense in restricting its meaning to the future.

I will pray that he will win. Not good. pray that he will win or will pray that he wins are better. The first is close to hope that he will win in meaning. Again, we don't know whether he will win. In a way, this is like the cases of the car washer and marrying the daughter, above.

I'll tell him that I'll call back later. The first part is in the future, so you need will (or the progressive I'm telling him; or going to, that is, I'm going to tell him). The second part is also in the future. It's in the nature of a promise. "I'll call back later." You're simply reporting what will be said.
Each case follows the logic of that case, so it's difficult to give a general rule.

CJ

I will pray that he wins/will win.

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions