will or going to?

[seanog]

Which of these sentences do you think is more correct?

1. Who do you think will win the league?

2. Who do you think is going to win the league?

Thank you

 

[emsr2d2]

Which of these sentences do you think is more correct?

1. Who do you think will win the league?

2. Who do you think is going to win the league?

Thank you

There have been multiple threads on this subject recently. To me, they are pretty much indistinguishable (interchangeable) though I know some people on here have posted that they understand subtle differences depending on timescale or certainty of the outcome.

 

[sarat_106]

Which of these sentences do you think is more correct?

1. Who do you think will win the league?

2. Who do you think is going to win the league?

Thank you

The difference between will and going to (not to mention other ways of expressing futurity) is so subtle that it cannot be easily conveyed through rules. When you’re making predictions, you can use will or going to more or less interchangeably which is the case here..

 

[seanog]

well This was a question in an advanced book (I changed the actual words a little...) and "going to win" was given as the answer, (in a sentence transformation exercise).

In my opinion "will" would be more normal, esp because "will" is used with think, hope , expect, suppose, guess, etc.

Of course I don't think that going to is "wrong". Basically, I agree that both are correct.

 

[Raymott]

well This was a question in an advanced book (I changed the actual words a little...) and "going to win" was given as the answer, (in a sentence transformation exercise).

In my opinion "will" would be more normal, esp because "will" is used with think, hope , expect, suppose, guess, etc.

Of course I don't think that going to is "wrong". Basically, I agree that both are correct.

Isn't it begging the question to say that 'will' is right because 'will' is used with 'think' etc?

 

[emsr2d2]

I've never associated either "will" or "going to" specifically with "think, hope etc".

I'm just as likely to say "I think I'll go to the cinema tonight" as "I think I'm going to go to the cinema tonight".

 

[anishjp]

I've never associated either "will" or "going to" specifically with "think, hope etc".

I'm just as likely to say "I think I'll go to the cinema tonight" as "I think I'm going to go to the cinema tonight".

Is that necessary?

Thanks,
Anish

 

[emsr2d2]

Is that necessary?

Thanks,
Anish

In this context, yes. If I simply said "I think I'm going to the cinema tonight", it would mean (to me!) that I had already made a tentative plan, perhaps with a friend, to actually go to the cinema.

Saying "I think I'm going to go to the cinema tonight" might be something I just said to show that I'm considering the possibility of going.

A very subtle difference, and it's possible that not everyone would understand the same meaning from those examples.

 

[fighting spirit]

In my opinion, going to is more appropriate.
Generally, will is used to express decisions made at the moment of speaking.
Example:

I'm sitting with my friend who is supposed to write a letter. Suddenly he realizes that he doesn't have a pencil. I say: "I'll give you mine." That is the decision made at the moment of speaking.

be going to is used for plans and intentions in the near future or more distant. It is also used for predictions when there is some evidence in the present situation so we can see something. We use going to for some actions that are very likely to happen or are so obvious to happen.
I'm going to do lots of homework this evening.
Look out! These plates are going to fall.

So
Who do you think is going to win the league.