grammar help! Future

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ESL forum > Ask for help > grammar help! Future

grammar help! Future

amirhosseini

Just to confuse you a bit more.

The difference is in volition.

When I say I am going to do something. I mean I kinda want this to happen; it �s my intention.

But when we use the present continuous, the listener can just understand that this plan is on our diary/schedule. There is no information whatsoever as to who scheduled or planned it.

Example:

I am going to meet my boss tomorrow. (I planned this, or I played a role in planning it.)

I �m meeting my boss tomorrow. (I don �t want to tell you whether he wants to see me or I want to see him.)

The present continuous tense is therefore more secretive than "to be going to."

21 Nov 2009

Judith@rwen

Hi, thank you too!
Just to let you know... I �m not confused. I was looking for other alternatives or other teachers´ point of view on how to explain to students the difference.
Other ways of approaching the subject and explaining it to students.

Good afternoon.
Judith

21 Nov 2009

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