Present Continuous for fixed arrangements?

Question

(a) When I am in Hong Kong, I will stay at the Holiday Inn. (First conditional = likelihood)

(b) When I am in Hong Kong next week, I will stay at the Holiday Inn.

(c) I am visiting Hong Kong next week, and I am staying / will be staying at the Holiday Inn.

Questions:

While both example sentences (b) and (c) are based on the same scenario (fixed arrangements = reservation made at Holiday Inn), somehow I feel the use of SIMPLE FUTURE in E.G. (b) is more appropriate. Am I right? Or is it better to say:

(b) When I am in Hong Kong next week, I am staying at the Holiday Inn.

Many thanks.

Df2006

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Df2006(a) When I am in Hong Kong, I will stay at the Holiday Inn. (First conditional = likelihood)

Not likelhood; future fact.

Df2006(b) When I am in Hong Kong next week, I will stay at the Holiday Inn.

The same as A. Adding 'next week' has no effect.

Df2006(c) I am visiting Hong Kong next week, and I am staying / will be staying at the Holiday Inn.

Present durative for future is an arrangement, conceived as a period of future time, and also carries a note of familiarity; future durative is essentially the same.

Df2006I feel the use of SIMPLE FUTURE in E.G. (b) is more appropriate. Am I right?

Not necessarily at all; context (particularly psychological context) will decide.

Df2006 Or is it better to say:(b) When I am in Hong Kong next week, I am staying at the Holiday Inn.

That is fine, too.

Df2006 · Answer

Thank you, Mister Micawber, for your speedy response.

Two more questions based on your explanation:

(1) Is there a difference between the following:

i) Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I stay at the Holiday Inn.
ii) When I visit Hong Kong next week, I will stay at the Holiday Inn.

To me, sentence (i) seems to indicate a definitive meaning (permanent truth or the so-called ZERO conditional), and (ii) seems to be referring to a specific future incident with some planning in mind. Am I right?

(2) You said 'Present durative for future is an arrangement, conceived as a period of future time, and also carries a note of familiarity'. Could you please elaborate a little more on the meaning of 'a note of familiarity'?

Thank you again.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Df2006To me, sentence (i) seems to indicate a definitive meaning (permanent truth or the so-called ZERO conditional),

That is the result of 'whenever'.

Df2006(ii) seems to be referring to a specific future incident with some planning in mind. Am I right?

That is the result of 'next week'.

Df2006Could you please elaborate a little more on the meaning of 'a note of familiarity'?

It is variously more informal, more friendly, more polite, or more diffident.

Df2006 · Answer

Thank you so much, Mister Micawber.

Present Continuous for fixed arrangements?

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