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Reegis Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Who will look after the children when you will be at work tomorrow?
Hello.
This time, I would like to ask for your help regarding expressing the following three situations:
Habit (2 x present simple)
1) Who looks after the children when you are at work?
Is this sentence correct? According to my knowledge it is a general question (about the past, the present and the future) that describes what people habitually do.
Possible habit in the future (future simple + present simple)
2a) Who will look after the children when you are at work?
Might it be interpreted similarly like 1? Or maybe it is more future-oriented? What if we explicitly add 'for the next few months' like below? Does it change anything?
2b) Who will look after the children when you are at work for the next few months?
And I think the most controversial one...
One-time future event (2 x future simple)
3) Who will look after the children when you will be at work tomorrow?
Is this sentence correct? I am not sure if we can use so many 'will', especially after 'when'. Normally we would probably say something like 2, but I am not sure since in this sentence I would like to emphasize the fact that we are asking about one particular day - definitely not something habitual.
I would be very grateful for explaining my doubts. Recently I have read a lot about 'will' after 'when' and it is still not always clear to me when in English we can describe the future using 'will' and when we can't.
This time, I would like to ask for your help regarding expressing the following three situations:
Habit (2 x present simple)
1) Who looks after the children when you are at work?
Is this sentence correct? According to my knowledge it is a general question (about the past, the present and the future) that describes what people habitually do.
Possible habit in the future (future simple + present simple)
2a) Who will look after the children when you are at work?
Might it be interpreted similarly like 1? Or maybe it is more future-oriented? What if we explicitly add 'for the next few months' like below? Does it change anything?
2b) Who will look after the children when you are at work for the next few months?
And I think the most controversial one...
One-time future event (2 x future simple)
3) Who will look after the children when you will be at work tomorrow?
Is this sentence correct? I am not sure if we can use so many 'will', especially after 'when'. Normally we would probably say something like 2, but I am not sure since in this sentence I would like to emphasize the fact that we are asking about one particular day - definitely not something habitual.
I would be very grateful for explaining my doubts. Recently I have read a lot about 'will' after 'when' and it is still not always clear to me when in English we can describe the future using 'will' and when we can't.
Top answer
Reegis 1) Who looks after the children when you are at work? Is this sentence correct? Yes.
- Reegis 1) Who looks after the children when you are at work?
- Is this sentence correct?
- Yes.
- Reegis According to my knowledge it is a general question (about the past, the present and the future) that describes what people habitually do.
- Right.
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5 Answers
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Reegis1) Who looks after the children when you are at work? Is this sentence correct?Yes.
ReegisAccording to my knowledge it is a general question (about the past, the present and the future) that describes what people habitually do.Right.
Reegis2a) Who will look after the children when you are at w
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Thanks a lot for the precise answer, GPY.
a) Don't know when the given event happens, for example:
John, your boss called and said that you should be ready, because you might be needed at work anytime. Who will look after
GPYNo. The second "will" is incorrect and should be changed to "when you are".I have read that we don't use 'will' when we:
a) Don't know when the given event happens, for example:
John, your boss called and said that you should be ready, because you might be needed at work anytime. Who will look after
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ReegisThen could you please confirm that we don't want to differentiate the above situations from the situation where the time is known and it happens just once (as in my sentence 3)?I cannot think of any case when "Who will look after the children when you will ..." would be correct, whatever follows (excluding irrelevant "trick" answers).
R
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GPYReegis3b) Who will look after the children tomorrow when (because at that time) you will be at work?Does it change anything and starts to make sense or still it is incorrect?Also, a comma after "tomorrow" could be considered here.
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