They soon will.

[99bottles]

-Will things get better?
-They will, soon./They soon will.

Which sounds more natural?

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd use "Soon they will", "Soon, yes", or "Yes. Soon".

 

[99bottles]

I'd use "Soon they will", "Soon, yes", or "Yes. Soon".

Soon they will without a comma?

 

[emsr2d2]

Soon they will without a comma?

Yes.

 

[5jj]

I'd use "They will soon" or just "Soon".

 

[Tdol]

Soon they will without a comma?

I don't see the need for a comma in your first sentence.

 

[jutfrank]

I say that They soon will is inappropriate in this context. It would be perfectly appropriate in a different context, of course.

 

[99bottles]

I say that They soon will is inappropriate in this context. It would be perfectly appropriate in a different context, of course.

I'll be grateful if you tell me what context it would be appropriate in.

 

[jutfrank]

I'll be grateful if you tell me what context it would be appropriate in.

The placement of will at the end of the utterance has effect of stressing it, so any context where the speaker has a special reason to create such an effect.

One such reason could be for contrast:

A: I'm disappointed things haven't gotten any better.
B: They soon will.

Speaker B wishes to make a contrast between past and future, and so stresses the word will by placing it at the end of the sentence. This emphasises the meaning of the word will, an emphasis which in this case has the purpose of reassuring speaker B.

 

[5jj]

That explanation would work for:

- Will things get better?
- They soon will.

 

[Tdol]

You could use it in a threat:

Citizen: People don't need to fear anything.
Gangster: They soon will.