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Palinkasocsi Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Will vs. be going to
Dear Friends,
Imagine the following scenario:
Husband and wife are watching a boring film. The wife is trying to use explicit irony. What is the best choice:
Wife to husband: "I'll be ironic now: This film is fantastic" or "I'm going to be ironic now: This film is fantastic"?
If you follow grammar, 'will' might be better, since the wife's remark is spontaneous. 'To be going to', however, sounds better to me.
Thank you.
Palinkasocsi
Imagine the following scenario:
Husband and wife are watching a boring film. The wife is trying to use explicit irony. What is the best choice:
Wife to husband: "I'll be ironic now: This film is fantastic" or "I'm going to be ironic now: This film is fantastic"?
If you follow grammar, 'will' might be better, since the wife's remark is spontaneous. 'To be going to', however, sounds better to me.
Thank you.
Palinkasocsi
Top answer
Hi Well, you see. There is a slight difference, will and going to is both used for future action, But: Will is when you decide something 'Now' Going to is used when you already have decided to do something in the future. Eg.
- Hi Well, you see.
- There is a slight difference, will and going to is both used for future action, But: Will is when you decide something 'Now' Going to is used when you already have decided to do something in the future.
- Eg.
- You can't say 'I will go to school' because you've already decided to go to school before so you should say "I'm going to school" Lazzy boy
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42 Answers
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Hi
Well, you see. There is a slight difference, will and going to is both used for future action, But:
Will is when you decide something 'Now'
Going to is used when you already have decided to do something in the future.
Eg. You can't say 'I will go to school' because you've already decided to go to school before so you should say "I'm going to school"
Well, you see. There is a slight difference, will and going to is both used for future action, But:
Will is when you decide something 'Now'
Going to is used when you already have decided to do something in the future.
Eg. You can't say 'I will go to school' because you've already decided to go to school before so you should say "I'm going to school"
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Hi Lazzy Boy,
Thanks a lot. Yes, I know all these rules very well but why do you think my intuition says 'to be going to' is better here?
Anyway, are you suggesting that 'will' is the right choice in this particular case, too?
Any more natives on this issue?
Thanks a lot.
Pal
Thanks a lot. Yes, I know all these rules very well but why do you think my intuition says 'to be going to' is better here?
Anyway, are you suggesting that 'will' is the right choice in this particular case, too?
Any more natives on this issue?
Thanks a lot.
Pal
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PalinkasocsiThe wife is trying to use explicit irony.She has planned it. It's not spontaneous if she's "trying". Therefore "going to", which is used for plans, sounds better to you, but both are fine, of course.
CJ
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Hi,
A small extra comment about the rather odd phrase, 'explicit irony'.
People who speak ironically do not normally first announce the fact. They just say something ironically, and leave the listener to figure it out. If you announce it, it pretty well defeats the
A small extra comment about the rather odd phrase, 'explicit irony'.
People who speak ironically do not normally first announce the fact. They just say something ironically, and leave the listener to figure it out. If you announce it, it pretty well defeats the
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Hi Clive,
Good to hear from you.
So you say that my original husband-wife example is not irony?
Thank you.
Pal
Good to hear from you.
So you say that my original husband-wife example is not irony?
Thank you.
Pal
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Hi,
The essence of irony is that it deals with a meaning that is somewhat concealed.
If you announce it, you are not really concealing it.
Clive
The essence of irony is that it deals with a meaning that is somewhat concealed.
If you announce it, you are not really concealing it.
Clive
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Hi,
Hm. What you are saying is really interesting. But consider the following case:
Jane is always late for work so one morning she decides to rush to work twice the speed of sound. She gets stuck in rush hour traffic and she is late - again. She gets frustrated and says:
(I am so happy that) I am not late this time
According to your logic Clive, this is
Hm. What you are saying is really interesting. But consider the following case:
Jane is always late for work so one morning she decides to rush to work twice the speed of sound. She gets stuck in rush hour traffic and she is late - again. She gets frustrated and says:
(I am so happy that) I am not late this time
According to your logic Clive, this is
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