[Grammar] Relative clause tense

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misterkak

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Hello,

I am new in this forum. So nice to be here.
Actually, I was looking on the internet for my answer, but I thought that chatting with native speakers could get me a straight and right answer.

My question is the following.

I am actually arguing with a friend about a sentence I wrote in a text message.

I wrote:

"I'll learn that from the person I meet on Thursday".

My friend says it should be (and can't be otherwise)

"I'll learn that from the person I'll meet on Thursday".



I think both are correct actually.

If that is the case, what is the nuance between them?

Thank you in advance.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Hello,

I am new in this forum. So nice to be here.
Actually, I was looking on the internet for my answer, but I thought that chatting with native speakers could get me a straight and right answer.

My question is the following.

I am actually arguing with a friend about a sentence I wrote in a text message.

I wrote:

"I'll learn that from the person I meet on Thursday".

My friend says it should be (and can't be otherwise)

"I'll learn that from the person I'll meet on Thursday".



I think both are correct actually.

If that is the case, what is the nuance between them?

Thank you in advance.
You are right, in English we don't use the future in both clauses as you do in French.
Your friend's version is a direct translation from French.
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
Hello,

I am new in this forum. So nice to be here.
Actually, I was looking on the internet for my answer, but I thought that chatting with native speakers could get me a straight and right answer.

My question is the following.

I am actually arguing with a friend about a sentence I wrote in a text message.

I wrote:

"I'll learn that from the person I meet on Thursday".

My friend says it should be (and can't be otherwise)

"I'll learn that from the person I'll meet on Thursday".



I think both are correct actually.

If that is the case, what is the nuance between them?

Thank you in advance.
They're both correct. The first is more common given the context. But even more common is:
"I'll learn that from the person I'm meeting on Thursday". OR
"I'll learn that from the person I'm going to meet on Thursday".

We use the present tense with future meaning when something is planned. You assume that it's going to happen.
We start a new semester next week; I fly to Sydney tomorrow.

Your first clause, "I'll learn that ..." is not planned. So it's correct to use "I will". You would not say, "We will start a new semester next week", since that implies that you've just decided it, or just agreed to it.
 
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