will be going vs. other future tenses

Question

A.  I'll go to New York.B.  I'm going to go to New York.C.  I'm going to New York.1.  My understanding is that A is said for quick decision about a future action.  B is said for a plan, while C is said for a much sure action or settled plan.  Would you please confirm if my understanding is correct?2.  Now, if my understanding for A, B, and C is correct.  How is D below different in meaning from the first three?D.  I'll be going to New York.Please help.  Thank you.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Yes, A/B/C are the basic ways I teach these, although there are also various subtleties of meaning involved.

D I'll be going to New York next week.
- Sounds casual.May suggest that the visit to New York is not important.
- Sounds like it might be said in the context of discussing some other event or activity that will happen next week.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for your helpful response. Just some questions...

CliveD I'll be going to New York next week.- Sounds casual.May suggest that the visit to New York is not important.

3. Is the addition of a future word/phrase like "next week" necessary for the sentence to make sense?

Clive- Sounds like it might be said in the context of discussing some other event or activity that will happen next week.

4. Does it mean that the other event or activity is the more important that the visit to New York is just incidental to the event/activity?

5. If I may also ask the following for clarification. I read before from another thread that F below suggests a more earnest action than E. Would you agree?
E. I'll make the adjustments to the Income Statement.
F. I'll be making the adjustments to the Income Statement.

6. My confusion is why D in the previous example sounds casual and suggests an unimportant event when F suggests a more serious action that, I suppose, is important to think that it needs a serious/earnest action. They both use the "will be -ing" form, but seem to differ in meaning. Please enlighten me.

Clive · Answer

Thank you for your helpful response. Just some questions...

CliveD I'll be going to New York next week.- Sounds casual.May suggest that the visit to New York is not important.

3. Is the addition of a future word/phrase like "next week" necessary for the sentence to make sense? Not in the sentence, but the overall context of the conversation would normally include some idea of 'when'.

Clive- Sounds like it might be said in the context of discussing some other event or activity that will happen next week.

4. Does it mean that the other event or activity is the more important that the visit to New York is just incidental to the event/activity? Generally speaking, yes.

Please note that I said the more tentative 'might be', and you are using the stronger 'is'.

5. If I may also ask the following for clarification. I read before from another thread that F below suggests a more earnest action than E. Would you agree?
E. I'll make the adjustments to the Income Statement.
F. I'll be making the adjustments to the Income Statement.

6. My confusion is why D in the previous example sounds casual and suggests an unimportant event when F suggests a more serious action that, I suppose, is important to think that it needs a serious/earnest action. They both use the "will be -ing" form, but seem to differ in meaning. Please enlighten me.

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REPLY

Clive · Answer

5. If I may also ask the following for clarification. I read before from another thread that F below suggests a more earnest action than E. Would you agree? I don't know what you mean by 'earnest'. E sounds more definite, if that's what you mean.
My earlier comments apply to F.
E. I'll make the adjustments to the Income Statement.
F. I'll be making the adjustments to the Income Statement.

6. My confusion is why D in the previous example sounds casual and suggests an unimportant event when F suggests a more serious action that, I suppose, is important to think that it needs a serious/earnest action. They both use the "will be -ing" form, but seem to differ in meaning. Please enlighten me.

Once again, please note that I didn't say definitely that the continuous form always sounds casual. I was speaking about your specific example of a trip to New York, which does not by itself sound hugely important. Nor does changing an Income Statement sound hugely important, although I suppose it might be.

But I think there is some truth in what I said about the Continuous sounding casual.
Consider this example of something that is unquestionably important.
Tom: Can you take care of my cat next week?
Mary: No, I'll be receiving my Nobel Prize.
I know it's a silly example, but to my ear the Continuous here just sounds very unnatural.

Clive

will be going vs. other future tenses

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