Be going to go and be going to

[mrmvp]

Thank you so much for your valuable contributions. I believe that "be going to" and the present continuous can both express future tenses. However, they have subtle differences. In my view, the present continuous is often used for arrangements. For example, when scheduling tasks on a calendar, especially with a specified time, as in business or personal schedules:

Personal schedule:
8:30 a.m. I am posting a thread.
10:30 a.m. I am finalizing and delivering the assignment.

In contrast, "be going to" is commonly used for tasks in a to-do list, particularly to encourage oneself or avoid procrastinating. Examples are

1-I am going to do the assignment.
2-I am going to deliver the final project.
3-I am going to book a hotel room.

These examples do not express mere intentions but reflect plans that were made earlier.

I always don't see the time being specified in "be going to" as in the above examples unlike present continuous.

For intentions, I believe there is no concrete evidence, such as booking tickets in advance or purchasing a wedding ring to get married. Rather, it reflects a high possibility (about 85%) that the tasks/ things will be completed unless something unexpected happens.

I’m not sure if my comment adds good contribution to the discussion, but if my understanding is incorrect, please feel free to correct me. You have all been helpful to the English learners' on UsingEnglish Forum , and I deeply appreciate you.

 

[5jj]

. For you, to express an arrangement is to express an intention, so a single utterance can be both at the same time. For me, it must be either one or the other since these two terms are exclusive by definition.

I don't agree.

Yes, but if all arrangements are in place, that's not part of the meaning of the utterance. In other words, there's no way a listener could ever know that from the words alone. If you say Next week, I'm going to China, then the listener does know, from the words you use, that arrangements are in place.

Not necessarily.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't agree.

I'm telling you how I'm defining it. You can't disagree with this, 5jj.

Not necessarily.

Yes, necessarily. That's what it means. In what way do you think it's possible for it not to mean that?

 

[Skrej]

Thank you so much @teechar and @emsr2d2 for your contributions. In American English, is there a differences between going to+ location and going to+go?

1-I am going to the hospital/ village or a country.
2-I am going to go to the hospital/ village or a country.

As respected teacher @emsr2d2 mentioned they mean the same in British English. Are they the same tense?

Ignoring the ongoing semantics debate, AmE usage is the same as BrE usage. In this specific example, I see no practical difference. However, as emsr2d2 has said, that's not necessarily going to be true for every instance.

As for tense, they both use the present continuous construction (be+present participle) to refer to a future event. One's followed immediately by an infinitive then prepositional phrase, while the other is followed by a prepositional phrase only.

 

[5jj]

I'm telling you how I'm defining it. You can't disagree with this, 5jj.

I can, and do, disagree with your approach.

I'm pretty sure we agree on everything apart from what we mean when say 'intention'. For you, to express an arrangement is to express an intention, so a single utterance can be both at the same time. For me, it must be either one or the other since these two terms are exclusive by definition.

OK. Your understanding/usage of the word 'intention' is different from mine. That does not in itself mean that you are wrong and I am right - or the other way round.

 

[jutfrank]

Okay, progress! Glad we finally understand where we disagree!