continuous tense VS to be going to

[majid72]

Hello there,

What's difference between the two sentences:

1-I'm having dinner in the restaurant tonight.
2-I'm going to have dinner in the restaurant tonight.

Thank you.

[sio]

Let me share with you what I learned.

1-I'm having dinner in the restaurant tonight (time signal)
2-I'm going to have dinner in the restaurant tonight.


1. You have prepared, e.g. reserved the restaurant, invited the guests, etc.
2. You intend to have dinner.

- Number one is more certain than number two.
- If there is no plan, please use be going to. E.g. You are going to get a headache if you
don’t turn the volume down. (Not => You are getting a headache …)
- If you talk about something you know will happen because of information in the present,
we use be going to. E.g. The sky is grey. I think it is going to rain. (Not => it will rain).

[RonBee]

Hello there,

What's difference between the two sentences:

1-I'm having dinner in the restaurant tonight.
2-I'm going to have dinner in the restaurant tonight.

It seems to me that you are going to doing the same thing either way.

[2006]

hello there,

what's the difference between the two sentences?

1-i'm having dinner in the restaurant tonight. depending on context, i could be having dinner in the restaurant right now.
a...(on the phone, at dinner time) i tried to get you at home. How come you're not there?
b...i'm having dinner in the restaurant tonight.

2-i'm going to have dinner in the restaurant tonight. i will have dinner in the restaurant tonight. (a future event)

thank you.

2006

[RonBee]

The word "tonight" is a time marker. It indicates that something is going to happen at a more or less specific time. If I say I am having dinner at the restaurant tonight that means that I plan to be there this evening. If somebody calls me on my cell phone while I am at the restaurant I will say I am at the restaurant, not that I am eating there tonight.

[2006]

The word "tonight" is a time marker. It indicates that something is going to happen at a more or less specific time. If I say I am having dinner at the restaurant tonight that means that I plan to be there this evening. If somebody calls me on my cell phone while I am at the restaurant I will say I am at the restaurant, not that I am eating there tonight.

But when it is "tonight" and you are doing something right then, you can say 'I'm verbing..............tonight.'
Here's another example.

A...Hi B
B...How come you're still up this late? I thought you were going to get up at 5 and finish your report before you go to class.
A...I changed my mind. I really hate getting up that early, so I'm finishing the report tonight.

Of course you could say 'now', but you can say "tonight". (no reason you can't)

[svartnik]

The way the English language works is not always determined by possibilities.

I am having dinner tonight means I am not having dinner now, but later tonight.

[sio]

In my opinion (I'm a student):

1. Both A and B should have the same perception of 'late' and 'tonight' here.
Late for B could be still morning for A

2. For example, A is in US, 12:00 a.m., B is in Singapore, 12:00 p.m.

Of course, B will have different perception with A and say "How come you're still up this late?"

[2006]

You guys believe whatever you want. I give up!

[RonBee]

But when it is "tonight" and you are doing something right then, you can say 'I'm verbing..............tonight.'
Here's another example.

A...Hi B
B...How come you're still up this late? I thought you were going to get up at 5 and finish your report before you go to class.
A...I changed my mind. I really hate getting up that early, so I'm finishing the report tonight.

Of course you could say 'now', but you can say "tonight". (no reason you can't)