going to be vs will be

Would a future progressive with "going to be" be more certain than "will be"?

1) She's going to offer that class next semester.

2) She will offer that class next semester.

3) She's going to be offering that class next semester.

4) She will be offering that class next semester.

How would you grade these sentences based on a scale of certainty?

ostap77 said:

Would a future progressive with "going to be" be more certain than "will be"?

1) She's going to offer that class next semester.

2) She will offer that class next semester.

3) She's going to be offering that class next semester.

4) She will be offering that class next semester.

How would you grade these sentences based on a scale of certainty?

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There is no difference of certainty.

bhaisahab said:

There is no difference of certainty.

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There would be no difference between?

"I'm going to be needing an official statement from you."

AND

"I will be needing an official statement from you."

ostap77 said:

There would be no difference between?

"I'm going to need[STRIKE]ing[/STRIKE] an official statement from you."

AND

"I will be needing an official statement from you."

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I don't sense any difference.

Barb_D said:

I don't sense any difference.

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Hope there's no harm in asking. Since you've crossed "ing" out I want to ask you the following question, why don't we use a progressive of "need" with "going to be"? Here is what I hear on a Canadian series "The listener":

"How did you know he was carrying a needle and not a gun? I'm gonna be needing a statement."

"I'll drop by."

ostap77 said:

Hope there's no harm in asking. Since you've crossed "ing" out I want to ask you the following question, why don't we use a progressive of "need" with "going to be"? Here is what I hear on a Canadian series "The listener":

"How did you know he was carrying a needle and not a gun? I'm gonna be needing a statement."

"I'll drop by."

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I think it was a correction of your error since you forgot to type "be" in your last question. She chose a different voice...(my guess).

ostap77 said:

There would be no difference between?

"I'm going to needing an official statement from you."

AND

"I will be needing an official statement from you."

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If you had typed ""I'm going to be needing an official statement from you."
then there is no difference.

Not a teacher

I will need.
I'm going to need.
I'm going to be needing.

Not: I'm going to needing or I will needing.

Barb_D said:

I will need.
I'm going to need.
I'm going to be needing.

Not: I'm going to needing or I will needing.

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I hate to be a pain in your b..t. But would you sence any difference, perhaps a very subtle one,if you were to choose between "going to" and "going to be" in the above metionrd context?

The only possible difference is "I'm going to be needing" could refer to a bit further into the future.

Otherwise, there is no difference in meaning to me.

Barb_D said:

The only possible difference is "I'm going to be needing" could refer to a bit further into the future.

Otherwise, there is no difference in meaning to me.

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"I'm going to be needing a statement from you." So it means that you don't have to come by my office right away you might well pay me a visit in a day or two?

But the same could be said for "I'm going to need" or "I will be needing."

All three can mean the exact same thing.

ostap77 as you might already know "will" and "be going to" sometimes imply prediction and sometimes decision. Here it is about prediction. That's why members here don't see any difference between them.

Khosro said:

ostap77 as you might already know "will" and "be going to" sometimes imply prediction and sometimes decision. Here it is about prediction. That's why members here don't see any difference between them.

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Yes. I know, Khosro. But for example threre are certain text-books that consider "will" more formal and neutral,whereas "going to" less formal and based on personal involvment. On top of that, we get to hear things when "will and going to"rule doesn't apply. So I was wondering what native speakers felt about it.

ostap77 said:

Yes. I know, Khosro. But for example threre are certain text-books that consider "will" more formal and nutral,whereas "going to" less formal and based on personal involvment. On top of that, we get to hear things when "will and going to"rule doesn't apply. So I was wondering what native speakers felt about it.

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Yes, you are absolutely right. specially when it comes to a verb such as "need" about which an overlapping of what you called "natural" and "personal involvement" is probable.

Khosro said:

Yes, you are absolutely right. specially when it comes to a verb such as "need" about which an overlapping of what you called "natural" and "personal involvement" is probable.

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Sorry, Khosro for a typo. I meant "neutral". You got it right. Some text-books even say that we don't use such words as "want","need","have" etc. in a progressive tense but we hear them now and than.

ostap77 said:

"I'm going to be needing a statement from you." So it means that you don't have to come by my office right away you might well pay me a visit in a day or two?

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I am not a teacher.

There is no reliable difference in meaning. "Needing" sounds foreign to this American---Welsh or Irish or something. I would expect "I'm going to/will need a statement from you."

Coolfootluke said:

I am not a teacher.

There is no reliable difference in meaning. "Needing" sounds foreign to this American---Welsh or Irish or something. I would expect "I'm going to/will need a statement from you."

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As I've already said that was a Canadian series so it could have been Canadian, though I doubt it differes that much. So you don't often use verbs like "need","want" in a progressive tense?

ostap77 said:

As I've already said that was a Canadian series so it could have been Canadian, though I doubt it differes that much. So you don't often use verbs like "need","want" in a progressive tense?

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I guess not, now that you mention it.

Coolfootluke said:

I guess not, now that you mention it.

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I appreciate your words of advice. I've got one more question.

Would you often here things like this one in your area "I've been wanting to....."?
Would you consider, nothing else comes to my mind at the moment, "going to be needing" foreign, if a person threw it in just for a change to avoid saying "going to need" or "will need"?

You are very sharp, ostap77, if I may say so. We could certainly say "I am going to be needing X" if we actually meant that. For example, if my wife is making soup, and I'm supposed to chop the vegetables, she might well say, "I'm going to be needing the carrots at 3:00." Still, "going to need" would be much more usual.

"I've been wanting to" is perfectly natural.