[Grammar] Future Simple or be going to?

[starr]

This year I'm studying English and I have some doubts about the Future Simple and be going to. I'd like to know in what cases we use the future simple and in what cases we use be going to. Is there some advice for their use or is there any rule for it?

Thanks for your help. :-D

 

[emsr2d2]

There are lots of threads about this in the forum, but the basic fact is that both "will + verb" and "be going to + verb" are the future simple.

In many cases, they mean exactly the same thing. Sometimes they don't. Do you have some example sentences to give us which are confusing you?

 

[sergeyrais]

...

In many cases, they mean exactly the same thing. ...

Could you please exemplify it?

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm not sure how else you would like me to say that sometimes they mean the same thing.

As I said, there have been plenty of threads discussing this very issue on this forum, which the Search function will help with.

 

[sergeyrais]

I'm not sure how else you would like me to say that sometimes they mean the same thing.

As I said, there have been plenty of threads discussing this very issue on this forum, which the Search function will help with.

I would like you to say that sometimes the Future Simple and the expression "be going to do sth" mean the same thing by giving an example of two sentences where these two patterns are interchangeable without difference in meaning.

 

[emsr2d2]

I will go to the cinema on Saturday evening.
I am going to the cinema on Saturday evening.
I am going to go the cinema on Saturday evening.

 

[grammar girl]

We use Future Simple when we decide to do something at the time of speaking; we use (to be) going to (do) something when we have decided to do it (but perhaps not arranged to do it).

 

[bhaisahab]

We use Future Simple when we decide to do something at the time of speaking; we use (to be) going to (do) something when we have decided to do it (but perhaps not arranged to do it).

Not always.

 

[SoothingDave]

Not always.

I agree. I don't think that much thought is put into it. In most cases, they are interchangeable.

 

[sergeyrais]

I agree. I don't think that much thought is put into it. In most cases, they are interchangeable.

The problem is that "in most cases" people tend to forget about some traditional aspects of grammar loosing the ability to use the standard grammar for expressing their ideas. In such cases the grammatical shifts are possible and many structures are really interchangeable at the expense of loosing their semantical meaning. In those "most cases" we usually understand people without words, not listening to their utterings, but just "hearing" them intuitively. But, still, does it have any connection to Her Majesty English Grammar?

 

[sergeyrais]

I will go to the cinema on Saturday evening.
I am going to the cinema on Saturday evening.
I am going to go the cinema on Saturday evening.

If these are the examples of the discussed interchangeable usage I would refer you to #7 of this thread.

 

[bhaisahab]

If these are the examples of the discussed interchangeable usage I would refer you to #7 of this thread.

The content of post #7 is highly debatable.

 

[SoothingDave]

The problem is that "in most cases" people tend to forget about some traditional aspects of grammar loosing the ability to use the standard grammar for expressing their ideas. In such cases the grammatical shifts are possible and many structures are really interchangeable at the expense of loosing their semantical meaning. In those "most cases" we usually understand people without words, not listening to their utterings, but just "hearing" them intuitively. But, still, does it have any connection to Her Majesty English Grammar?

I'm much more concerned with people losing the difference between "lose" and "loose" than I am of any difference in most cases between "I am going to" and "I will."

 

[sergeyrais]

I'm much more concerned with people losing the difference between "lose" and "loose" than I am of any difference in most cases between "I am going to" and "I will."

Thank you for your correction, SoothingDave.
I guess it's just a written illustration of the case described. The meaning is clear from the context in spite of the wrong spelling. Those who have ears let them hear.

 

[bhaisahab]

This thread is now closed, it was no longer serving any purpose.