Comments on: Future Tenses Exercise II: choosing from mixed future tenses

By: Jaime

Jaime — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 15:58:47 +0000

Phil.
These reflections arise because I’m an adult learner, don’t use to happen to people in their native language, nor even is thought about these nuances. I must appreciate the English language that I feel more aware of how people write and speak in my native language.
Thanks a lot.
I’ve got your books, I need to work harder on them

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:19:35 +0000

In reply to jaime.

Hi Jaime,

Yes, I’d say you’re right that the different choices can certainly reflect different attitudes, although this could be rather subjective. You’re roughly correct with your summary, though the present simple stands out here, as we’d only really use it for future schedules, less so to discuss one-off plans.

The different attitudes are certainly something at least touched upon in The English Tenses Practical Grammar Guide, but I’m not sure I have a piece up on this site about them – nor can they really be fully nailed down, as while we have certain patterns as you’ve demonstrated this isn’t based on hard rules.

Phil

By: jaime

jaime — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 10:11:58 +0000

Hi everybody there:

Please,Tell me what you think about this. It’s about how to use the same fact but conveyed in different ways, showing aspects of the person who uses it.

1. We stay with my parents this weekend. (just information or excuse)
In a conversation about “What to do this weekend” You say, you can’t do anything else, you’re busy this weekend.

2. We’re staying with my parents this weekend. ( It was scheduled, It’s not up to me)
It’s scheduled, perhaps not by you. It’s a compromise, you’re obliged

3. We’re going to stay with my parents this weekend. ( We can’t do another thing because we’re engaged already
Here you say where you’re going to stay because you have already planned.

3. We will stay with my parents this weekend. (There’s a will)
Perhaps here you show your will about what you’ll do this weekend.

What I mean is under the fact there’s a “reason” that show the feelings of the person who say it, and this I guess happens continuously. That’s what I’d like to learn.
Thanks to all of you.

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:43:36 +0000

In reply to Jaime.

Hi Jaime,
Thank you, yes that gives some interesting food for thought. I could certainly present more scenarios in short reading exercises to illustrate points like that. To start with, though, I’m going put up a post next week that will analyse a section of one of my novels and we’ll see if that’s useful!
Phil

By: Jaime

Jaime — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:52:07 +0000

Hi Phil.
Thanks for your email. Regard your exercises I think they ar great, very useful, every student of English should study them, That’s my case and for that, I try each time to understand the English language better.
As a learner of the English language, I use to translate or compare how I’d say that in my own language, The result is that there several forms to say “the shop is closed till five” it’s three o’clock. from one of your exercises, for instance,
” the shop open in 2 hours”… schedule
“The shop will be closed for another two hours”. meaning that he/she has two hours free.
“the shop is closed till five” meaning that you can’t buy anything because you have to leave earlier.
What I mean is that there are many ways to say a fact with different intentions. Playing with any nuance that comes up to your mind is interesting. Am I clear enough?
What to say about different characters, old, young, layman, bachelor, policeman, army, bosses, attendants and so on. or different events, party, meetings, conferences, dangerous or unarmed. I do not know.
I must confess that I keep learning thinking about these things, doing these things in English I’ve learned a lot about my native language, but I’m alone.
Obviously, I’d like to be clearer, first I might think more about the issue and secondly being better in English.
I appreciate you a lot for your time teaching us the English language.
Jaime

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:46:19 +0000

In reply to Jaime Sanchez Rivera.

Hi Jaime, yes I do think that’s a good idea; honestly I’d like to do more content in that way, with explorations of reading exercises, because as you say I’m more of a writer and it’s easier for me to go into advanced nuances that way. I’m also finding that I’ve less original content to put up regarding simpler exercises and rules!

But yes I’m not sure exactly what kind of exercise you’d be suggesting there, essentially a comprehension of the writing to test understanding, or something more dynamic to explore ways it could be written differently?

Phil

By: Jaime Sanchez Rivera

Jaime Sanchez Rivera — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 10:17:18 +0000

Thanks again, Phil. I think I understand the point right now, I need your answers to be confident about my thoughts.
I was thinking that could be a course about “understanding” English is written, for instance, you read a chapter or a chunk from one of your novels and ask the student what they think about the feelings or attitudes of the character o the environment or situations or if the student could get other forms to make the situation different and why. I’m not sure if I’m explaining right myself, sorry, but as you’re a teacher plus a writer, perhaps could prompt you any idea.
I’d like to hear what you think about.
As always many thanks for your teaching us.
Jaime

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 08:50:35 +0000

In reply to jaime.

Hi Jaime,

Yes, it’s definitely a problem with quick single-sentence drills like this, especially with something as diverse and flexible as the future tenses. Context can make a big difference, and even then there might not be absolutely correct answers. But as you say, the purpose is really to get students thinking, and if come up with a different answer then trying to understand if it might also be acceptable is a powerful way to learn!

Phil

By: jaime

jaime — Sat, 31 Jul 2021 16:51:38 +0000

Thanks, Phil. Your exercises make always me think. Some of them need contest or perhaps intention from the people who say it, so, there could be other answers in some of them. Do you agree?
Anyway, the fact you make students think is an achievement.
jaime

By: JOSIE

JOSIE — Sun, 18 Jul 2021 19:19:47 +0000

Thanks Phil for these very useful exercises. Unfortunately students often think the future in English is always with ‘will’. These exercises are very good examples of the different ways of talking about the future.
Really appreciate you sharing your work!