just.learning
New member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2012
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Danish
- Home Country
- Denmark
- Current Location
- Sweden
Hello all
I’m trying to get the hang of ”the future” – grammatically speaking anyway. I’m sitting here with “Cambridge Grammar in Use” and “Oxford Practical English Usage”.
Both books agree, that we use ‘will’ when talking about impulsive decisions made right here and now, whereas ‘going to’ (and future continuous) are used when talking about decisions already made.
However!
Oxford says that ‘going to’ can be used with commands:
You’re going to finish that soup / You’re finishing that soup
You’re going to take that medicine / You’re taking that medicine
BUT, that ‘will’ is often used giving promises and threats AND instructions and orders:
I’ll hit you if you do that again
You’ll suffer for this
Will you be quiet, please!
Wouldn’t it then be just as appropriate to use ‘will’ when commanding someone to do something? Like:
You will eat that soup
You will take that medicine
Can anyone sort this out for me? Or is it just one of many “grey” areas?
Kind regards
I’m trying to get the hang of ”the future” – grammatically speaking anyway. I’m sitting here with “Cambridge Grammar in Use” and “Oxford Practical English Usage”.
Both books agree, that we use ‘will’ when talking about impulsive decisions made right here and now, whereas ‘going to’ (and future continuous) are used when talking about decisions already made.
However!
Oxford says that ‘going to’ can be used with commands:
You’re going to finish that soup / You’re finishing that soup
You’re going to take that medicine / You’re taking that medicine
BUT, that ‘will’ is often used giving promises and threats AND instructions and orders:
I’ll hit you if you do that again
You’ll suffer for this
Will you be quiet, please!
Wouldn’t it then be just as appropriate to use ‘will’ when commanding someone to do something? Like:
You will eat that soup
You will take that medicine
Can anyone sort this out for me? Or is it just one of many “grey” areas?
Kind regards