the sooner you (will)

[ademoglu]

Hi,

"Walter, the sooner you figure out what this is, the sooner we all go home."

I've come across the above sentence in the tv series 'Breaking Bad.' And what I'd like to ask is: why is 'the future tense (will) not used after 'the sooner.'

Thank you!

 

[Matthew Wai]

Re: the sonner you (will)

I think both the simple present and the simple future can be used in the second clause.

 

[Tarheel]

Re: the sonner you (will)

"The sooner you leave the sooner you can come back."

My mom said something like that to me a time or two, and it's typical of the form. Even though it's about the future (She wanted me to do something sooner rather than later.), the future tense (will) is not used.

 

[Tarheel]

The sooner...the sooner

"The sooner you clean up that mess the sooner you can watch TV.

In other words:

If you clean up the mess you will be allowed to watch TV.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Re: the sonner you (will)

I think it is understood that it refers to the future in such a construction although it is not in the future tense.