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Future tense

hirashin

Sempai
Donor
8 Apr 2004
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Dear native English speakers,
Would you check my sentences and correct them if needed?

1a) Jane is coming here tomorrow.
1b) Jane will come here tomorrow.

2a) I'm going to study abroad this fall.
2b) I'll study abroad this fall.

3a) They are going to play tennis after school.
3b) They will play tennis after school.
3c) They are playing tennis after school.

4a) My uncle is coming to Japan tomorrow.
4b) My uncle will come to Japan tomorrow.

5a) What are you doing this afternoon?
5b) What are you going to do this afternoon?

6a) Tomorrow will be warm.
6b) Tomorrow is going to be warm.

7a) Is Mary going to church on Sunday? Yes, she is.
7b) Is Mary going to church next Sunday? Yes, she is.
7c) Is Mary going to church this Sunday? Yes, she is.

8a) Will you come again tomorrow? Sure.
8b) Will you be here again tomorrow? Sure.
8c) Will you come here again tomorrow? Sure.

9a) Is your uncle going to be/become president of Orange Company? Yes, he is.
9b) Will your uncle be/become president of Orange Company? Yes, he is.
9c) Is your uncle becoming president of Orange Company? Yes, he is.

10a) Jane is going to have a baby in two months.
10b) Jane is having a baby in two months.
10c) Jane will have a baby in two months.

11a) I'll stop smoking.
11b) I'll give up smoking.

12a) I'll go to Kenya someday.
12b) I'm going to Kenya someday.
12c) I'm going to go to Kenya someday.

13a) Sorry. I'm busy now. I'll call you back later.
13b) Sorry. I'm busy at the moment. I'll call you back later.

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin
 
...
Did you use Dick and Jane at school?

Yes, but the dog we now have is not named Spot.

Also, our kids here benefited from better quality reading materials. You've commented on the books that 文科相 has you use, be thankful that your students haven't had to use Dick and Jane.
 
9c is not wrong, but is definitely less common than 9a and 9b. I would recommend NOT using it.

The reply on 9b is wrong. It should be
Yes, he will.
 
Ah, I made a mistake again. Thanks for the correction, joadbres.
9c is not wrong, but is definitely less common than 9a and 9b. I would recommend NOT using it.
Would you teach me in which case you should avoid using this structure? Is (9c) too casual in that case?
 
Is (9c) too casual in that case?
No, it has nothing to do with it being too casual.
I am not sure of the reason. I think the reason is simply that "become" is a verb that is not typically used in the present continuous form to indicate a future arrangement. It CAN be used that way, but sounds slightly awkward in most such cases, so it is better to avoid it.
 
Thanks for the explanation, joadbres.
Would both 9b sentences be all right?
9b-1) Will your uncle be president of Orange Company?
9b-2) Will your uncle become president of Orange Company?
 
Yes. If they were not OK, I would have mentioned it when I wrote that 9c is not recommended.
 
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