would

[nuharani]

what's the different between "when would you be arriving?" and "when will you arrive?"
thanks for your attention in answering my question

[BobK]

what's the different between "when would you be arriving?" and "when will you arrive?"
thanks for your attention in answering my question

I don't see the problem:

actual arrival - 'when will you arrive/be arriving' [either works]

possible arrival - 'I know you haven't made your mind up yet between driving and taking the train, but if you drove when would you arrive/be arriving?' [either works]
[In informal speech the last one can become 'if you drive when will you arrive/be arriving']

b

[TheParser]

what's the different between "when would you be arriving?" and "when will you arrive?"
thanks for your attention in answering my question

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) If I understand your question, you want to know the difference between "will"

and "would." Am I right?

(2) Well, here are a few ideas to share with you.

(3) Paul Roberts in his Understanding English (1954) gives these two examples:

(a) I will if I can.
(b) I would if I could.

Professor Roberts says that both "will" and "would" refer to the future, but "would"

has "an added coloring of doubt and uncertainty."

*****

(4) Maybe (maybe) these terrible examples of mine might be helpful:

TWO PEOPLE ARE TALKING ON THE TELEPHONE

Mona: If I can get a ticket, I will be arriving in six hours.

Tom: Do you think that you can get a ticket back home today?

Mona: Yes. There are very few people here at the airport. I'm sure that I will

get a ticket.

Tom: Great! I shall stay home for the next six hours in order to wait for your call that

you have landed. Then I'll drive to our airport in order to pick you up.

Mona: Thanks, Tom.

Tom: No problem. That's what brothers are for.

*****

Mona: If I could get a ticket, I would be arriving in six hours.

Tom: Do you think that you will be able to get a ticket today?

Mona: Not really! It is starting to snow badly. I hear that they are going to

close the airport. No more flights until tomorrow, I think.

Tom: Well, in that case, I guess that I shall leave home now and go do

some shopping.

Mona: Good idea! No use in wasting six good hours waiting for me. My chances

of getting a flight out of here are 1 in 100.

[BobK]

...
possible arrival - 'I know you haven't made your mind up yet between driving and taking the train, but if you drove when would you arrive/be arriving?' [either works]
[In informal speech the last one can become 'if you drive when will you arrive/be arriving']

b

Incidentally, when I said that (about informal) I wasn't suggesting there was anything wrong with the grammar - just that '<present>/will' is more common in that context (at least, that's the way it seems to me).

b