I will see vs I am seeing

[sarahlj]

Hi,

I have a test in a few days and would really appreciate some help with the question below. I think I know what the problem is with the sentence but I'm not sure how to explain it (my correction is in bold)

Q: Make the correction, name the tense used to correct it and say how you would explain the correction"

"Can you come out tonight? No, sorry, I will see Hamlet at the National Theatre"
Can you come out tonight? No sorry I will be seeing Hamlet at the National Theatre"

Any help anyone could give would be gratefully recieved.

Thanks

S

[Jo]

Actually, although your correction (future continuous) is possible, the more usual response would be with present continuous:

Can you come out tonight?
No sorry. I'm seeing Hamlet at the National Theatre.

In cases where you already have a plan (for some future time like tonight), present continuous is typically used.

In cases where you have no plan and make a decision on the spur of the moment, will is typically used:

(Phone rings.) OK, I'll answer it.

For fuller details please see:
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-m_future.htm

[sarahlj]

Thanks, that's very helpful!

S

[DavidB]

I don't think I would say any of those three sentences. I would say,

No, sorry. I am going to see Hamlet at the National Theatre.

The sentence with "will" is certainly incorrect as explained in the previous post. The other two are correct, but I think future with "going to" would fit much more nicely, and for me is certainly more natural.

[xiphiasatsi]

The best one is -Can you come out tonight? No, sorry, I will be seeing Hamlet at the National Theatre

'I will be seeing' is future tense.

[Alex Case]

There is no such thing as the future tense, there are only future tenses. Will be + v + ing is future continuous, and is unnatural here because you need a more precise period of time than "tonight"