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Terence78 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
will vs. going to
Hi,
often text books say that if you make a prediction, it doesn´t make any difference in meaning whether you use "will" or "going to". Let´s have a look at the following sentences:
(1) Ann is going to get married next monday.
(2) Ann will get married next monday.
Assume that both are used to make a prediction on, let´s say, wednesday. What if as matter of fact the wedding, very surprisingly, doesn´t take place? Does it follow that (2) is false, while (1) is true? If this indeed follows, there is a difference in meaning.
But keep in mind that (1) is used as prediction. Maybe this is a completely different use than using (1) to express that Ann is planning to get married. In this usage (1) would of course be true, even if there is in fact no wedding. But what if (1) is used to make prediction?
often text books say that if you make a prediction, it doesn´t make any difference in meaning whether you use "will" or "going to". Let´s have a look at the following sentences:
(1) Ann is going to get married next monday.
(2) Ann will get married next monday.
Assume that both are used to make a prediction on, let´s say, wednesday. What if as matter of fact the wedding, very surprisingly, doesn´t take place? Does it follow that (2) is false, while (1) is true? If this indeed follows, there is a difference in meaning.
But keep in mind that (1) is used as prediction. Maybe this is a completely different use than using (1) to express that Ann is planning to get married. In this usage (1) would of course be true, even if there is in fact no wedding. But what if (1) is used to make prediction?
Top answer
Type "will going to" (no quotes) in the search box at the top of your page, and you will find several discussions. Welcome to the Forums!
- Type "will going to" (no quotes) in the search box at the top of your page, and you will find several discussions.
- Welcome to the Forums!
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8 Answers
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Type "will going to" (no quotes) in the search box at the top of your page, and you will find several discussions.
Welcome to the Forums!
Welcome to the Forums!
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Welcome to the Forums!
Statements about the future have no true-false value in the sense you are talking about. Either the future event comes about or it doesn't. That doesn't mean it wasn't intended or planned, which is all that such statements are claiming.
Take the word 'prediction' very loosely. Textbooks do not usually get into the detailed, hair-splitting analysis th
Statements about the future have no true-false value in the sense you are talking about. Either the future event comes about or it doesn't. That doesn't mean it wasn't intended or planned, which is all that such statements are claiming.
Take the word 'prediction' very loosely. Textbooks do not usually get into the detailed, hair-splitting analysis th
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Take a look at these two examples:
#1
There is no milk in the fridge. I will go and buy some.
(You hadn't planned to go and buy milk, but when you realized that there isn't any milk in the fridge, you decided to buy some.)
# 2
I'm going to go out with my friends tomorrow evening.
(That's w
#1
There is no milk in the fridge. I will go and buy some.
(You hadn't planned to go and buy milk, but when you realized that there isn't any milk in the fridge, you decided to buy some.)
# 2
I'm going to go out with my friends tomorrow evening.
(That's w
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LoojkaTake a look at these two examples:
#1
There is no milk in the fridge. I will go and buy some.
(You hadn't planned to go and buy milk, but when you realized that there isn't any milk in the fridge, you decided to buy some.)
# 2
I'm going to go out with my friends tomorrow e
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Couldn't it be possible to say something like this:
"There's no beer in the fridge, so I'm going to go out with my friends in the evening and try to find myself a pint of good ol' Irish ale!"
__________
Yes. It's quite possible to say that. You formulate a plan to do something once you realize that there's no beer in the fridge. But Loojka's remarks (which summa
"There's no beer in the fridge, so I'm going to go out with my friends in the evening and try to find myself a pint of good ol' Irish ale!"
__________
Yes. It's quite possible to say that. You formulate a plan to do something once you realize that there's no beer in the fridge. But Loojka's remarks (which summa
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SimpleHeartedNow, wait a minute!Of course it's possible
Couldn't it be possible to say something like this: [:^)]
"There's no beer in the fridge, so I'm going to go out with my friends in the evening and try to find myself a pint of good ol' Irish ale!"
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LoojkaAnother example:
Loojka: I'm thinking about visiting Belgrade these days...
SimpleHearted: Great! I 'll take a day off. Maybe we can go out for a drink.
(You made the decision when I told you I was coming. Now you can tell your friends: "I can't go out with you on Saturday because Loojka is coming and I'm going to go out with her.")
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It's not a prediction. It's a future plan. Thus will is wrong and going to is correct.
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