will

[Taka]

Does this combination of the progressive and 'will' sound OK?

When we are getting old, we will become forgetful.

 

[bhaisahab]

Does this combination of the progressive and 'will' sound OK?

When we are getting old, we will become forgetful.

It's not very natural. "When we are getting old, we become..." or "When we get old, we will become..." would be better.

 

[Taka]

Even if the auxiliary verb were different as this, would it still sound a bit awkward?

When we are getting old, we might become forgetful.

 

[charliedeut]

Even if the auxiliary verb were different as this, would it still sound a bit awkward?

When we are getting old, we might become forgetful.

Hi,

Bhai's answer objected to the use of the present continuous in the first part of the sentence, not to the auxiliary/modal used in the second part.

charliedeut

 

[Taka]

Hi,

Bhai's answer objected to the use of the present continuous in the first part of the sentence, not to the auxiliary/modal used in the second part.

charliedeut

Then what about this? Does it sound as unnatural?

As we are getting old, we will become forgetful.
As we are getting older, we will become more forgetful.

 

[bhaisahab]

Then what about this? Does it sound as unnatural?

As we are getting old, we will become forgetful.
As we are getting older, we will become more forgetful.

They don't sound natural.

 

[Taka]

They don't sound natural.

Could you please tell me what is wrong with those two?

The use of the auxiliary verb 'will' again?

 

[billmcd]

Then what about this? Does it sound as unnatural?

As we are getting old, we will become forgetful.
As we are getting older, we will become more forgetful.

Taka, I appreciate your persistence with regard to using the progressive form in your example , but as they would say in many areas of the U.S.,

"fuhgeddaboudit	"
	1. Forget about it - the issue is not worth the time, energy, mental effort, or emotional resources. (Urban Dictionary)

 

[Taka]

Taka, I appreciate your persistence with regard to using the progressive form in your example , but as they would say in many areas of the U.S.,

"fuhgeddaboudit	"
	1. Forget about it - the issue is not worth the time, energy, mental effort, or emotional resources. (Urban Dictionary)

If your student were interested in something you taught, would you just say to him/her 'uhgeddaboudit"?

I'm just wondering how you native speakers would make a predictive statement about two things changing and synchronizing each other.

When it comes to such prediction, will you say to yourself 'uhgeddaboudit'?

If you will, then it's fine with me.

 

[bhaisahab]

Could you please tell me what is wrong with those two?

The use of the auxiliary verb 'will' again?

Certainly, "will" is part of it. In your examples it is completely unnecessary, as well as being unnatural. Without "will", the second one is OK.

 

[CarloSsS]

NOT A TEACHER

What about these two, are they acceptable? If so, is their meaning the same?

As we are getting older, we are becoming more forgetful.
As we are getting older, we become more forgetful.

 

[billmcd]

If your student were interested in something you taught, would you just say to him/her 'fuhgeddaboudit"? After two or three explanations of the incorrect use of progressive, I might.

I'm just wondering how you native speakers would make a predictive statement about two things changing and synchronizing each other. "As we get old, we will become forgetful." OR "As we get old we become forgetful."

When it comes to such prediction, will you say to yourself 'fuhgeddaboudit'? If I am not too forgetful.
If you will, then it's fine with me.

b.

 

[5jj]

Part of the problem is that the situations of 'getting older' and .becoming' more forgetful are both processes. As such, they have duration. Neither, in normal life, is instantaneous, or anything approching it.

So, any of these are possible and reasonably natural:

As/when we get old(er), we become more forgetful. (general truth)
As we are getting old(er) we are becoming more forgetful. (ongoing situation)
When we get older, we will become more forgetful. (future certainty)

There are other possibilities, but a combination of the inherent process-meaning of 'get' and 'become', the durational and possibly future implications of the present continuous, the simultaneous implications of 'as', etc, make certain tense/aspect combinations unlikely. It is possible to dream up contexts for almost any combinations of tense and aspect in English. The sentences posted by Taka are not impossible, but sometimes it is a lot simpler just to say 'that does not sound natural'.

If a learner can acquire a feel for these things, it is often more useful than spending a lot of time trying to analyse small differences in meaning and grammar.

 

[Taka]

Thank you, 5jj. I like explanation rather than a simple 'yes/no' or 'right/wrong', and that's what I'm here for.

Just one thing. About this:

As/when we get old(er), we become more forgetful. (general truth)
When we get older, we will become more forgetful. (future certainty)

Does this sound unnatural?

As we get older, we will become more forgetful. (future certainty)

 

[5jj]

Thank you, 5jj. I like explanation rather than a simple 'yes/no' or 'right/wrong', and that's what I'm here for.

bahaisahab did not speak of 'right' and 'wrong in this thread, but of 'not (very) natural'/'unnatural'. Sometimes these are the best answers if one is learning to use the language. Whole theses can be writtten on topics such as the one that is the subject of this thread. They don't leave the average teacher or learner much wiser.

About this:

As/when we get old(er), we become more forgetful. (general truth)
When we get older, we will become more forgetful. (future certainty)

Does this sound unnatural?

As we get older, we will become more forgetful. (future certainty)

That one sounds fine to me at the moment. We have been talking and thinking about so many different variations that I am no longer completely sure what sound natural and what doesn't.

I understand why some learners want to push things as far as they can go in order to feel that they really understand the language, but it isn't always beneficial. Native speakers use words and expressions in slightly different ways. Depending on the full context (which is completely clear only to the speaker at the moment of speaking), the natural can become unnatural and the near-impossible possible.

 

[emsr2d2]

"As we get older" = "As we go through the process of becoming older" but the first much more natural.

As we get older, we start to forget things.
As we get older, we forget things.
As we get older, we become forgetful.

Those are general statements which refer to the majority of people on the planet.

If a doctor were speaking to a patient who is concerned about the ageing process, the doctor might say "As you get older, you will [probably] start to forget things". That is a targeted statement intended for the listener. You will notice two differences - the doctor uses "you", not "we", and "will" is used.