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Grammar and Linguistics > The future - she īs having a baby
The future - she īs having a baby
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colibrita
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The future - she īs having a baby
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Hi Everyone,
The context: "She īs pregnant. She īs having a baby in August." (English File Intermediate)
If the present continuous is used for future plans/arrangements why do we use it here? When there īs future evidence we use "going to", right? "It īs really cloudy, it īs going to rain soon".
Is it because "going to" would sound strange, as if we were saying it īs her intention to have the baby in August (as if she had a choice!)
Help!!
La Colibrita
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15 Nov 2010
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Kate (kkcat)
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When there is an exact time period mentioned in a sentence ("in August") we can use Present Continuous.
I īd say she īs going to have a baby if I saw a pregnant lady and didn īt know when the baby was due to.
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15 Nov 2010
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douglas
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I always looked at is as presnt progressive--they are in the process of having a baby.
edit: oops, I guess it doesnīt work with "in August"-sorry |
15 Nov 2010
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yanogator
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Your example of "It īs cloudy. It īs going to rain" is different. You īre basing the conclusion on the evidence you see at the time. When you say, "She īs pregnant", it īs a statement of fact, rather than a demonstration of evidence. To make the comparison to "It īs cloudy...", the sentence would be "She looks like she īs going to have a baby" (and we wouldn īt use the present continuous here), or "Her belly is big. She īs going to have a baby".
I hope this helps you to see how these future forms are used. It is consistent with what you know.
Bruce |
15 Nov 2010
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colibrita
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Thanks everyone for your help. Such a simple sentence but it īs really had me thinking!!
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16 Nov 2010
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