"is scheduled" or "will be scheduled"?

Question

Hello. Would anyone please help me understand which one of the followings is correct?
"The test will be scheduled sometime around middle of May."
"The test is scheduled sometime around middle of May."
We don't know the exact date or time of the test, we just know that the test will be conducted sometime in May.
I used the first sentence, and then someone said the second sentence is correct since the word "schedule" is already explaining the event about the future, and therefore, the use of "will be" sounds redundant.

Philip · Accepted Answer

In my reading, I see that the first sentence tells when the schedule will appear.  The second tells that the schedule has already been set, but I would also add "for" [the test is scheduled for some time....].

BillJ · Answer

AnonymousHello. Would anyone please help me understand which one of the followings is correct?"The test will be scheduled sometime around middle of May.""The test is scheduled sometime around middle of May."We don't know the exact date or time of the test, we just know that the test will be conducted sometime in May.I used the first sentence, and then someone said the second sentence is correct since the word "schedule" is already explaining the event about the future, and therefore, the use of "will be" sounds redundant.

"The test will be scheduled sometime around middle of May".
"The test is scheduled sometime around middle of May".

In both those examples, the meaning is that the scheduling (not the test itself) will be carried out in May. You then went on to say that you know the test will be conducted sometime in May. Those are potentially contradictory statements, and I don't think that's what you meant. I may be wrong, but I think you meant to say that the scheduling will be done at some unspecified date prior to May, or that it has already been done. In that case, here's how I see it:

I'll put your examples in reverse order:

[1] "The test is scheduled for sometime around the middle of May".
[2] "The test will be scheduled for sometime around the middle of May".

The difference between the two is related to the speaker's knowledge. Both versions locate the situation in future time, but the difference between them is one of modality, not time reference. Version [1] is more assured than the version with "will", and appropriate only in a context where the test has definitely been scheduled; the [2] version could be used to make a prediction about the likelihood of the scheduling of a May test; it's not 100% certain that it will actually be scheduled.

(Note that to avoid ambiguity, you need the prep "for" after "scheduled; I'd also add "the" before "middle".)

BillJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you very much for the clarification and correction.  There are so much for me to learn about English and there is no native English speaker around.  Your help is greatly appreciated!!

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for your advice.  It helped me a lot!  Now I learned that I need to be more careful to use the word "schedule" as a verb.

"is scheduled" or "will be scheduled"?

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