|
|
 #2 (permalink) Sun Mar 08, 2009 23:31 pm have to and will have to |
|
|
Hi Giovanni
| Quote: |
I have work to do. I have to do it tomorrow.
I have work to do. I can't finish it now. I will have to do it tomorrow. |
The impression I get from your particular examples is that example 1 suggests that the obligation/necessity to "do the work tomorrow" had already been previously established -- a "pre-existing" or "already known" obligation, so to speak. Since there is no mention of doing any of the work today, the obligation seems to have been set previously and specifically for tomorrow. Possibly it is a recurring sort of obligation. In other words, the broader context might be that any work coming into the office at the end of any given workday must always be done the following day.
Example 2 suggests that the speaker has just now established the obligation/necessity to "do the work tomorrow". The current circumstances have in essence created the necessitiy to "do the work tomorrow". This use of "will" strikes me as being similar to the usage we often need in a telephone conversation. For example, someone might call you at work and ask you to send them a copy of the XYZ Report. Prior to the phone call, you had no plan to send this person a copy of the XYZ Report. However, when the caller now asks you to do this, you make an on-the-spot decision to do so: "Sure, I will send that report to you right away."
There was a discussion of "have to" vs "will have to" in a conditional sentence (with various opinions) in this thread:
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic789.html#conditional_tense_i
And there is also some discussion of "have to" vs "will have to" here:
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic13825.html
All the best,
Amy
_____________________
ESL teacher, translator, native speaker of American English and author of more than 8000 posts on this site. |
|
 AmYankee
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 21 Nov 2008
Posts: 46
Location: USA
|
|
| #3 (permalink) Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:53 pm Have to and Will have to (I have work to do. I have to do it tomorrow.) |
|
|
Hi Giovanni,
'I have to do something' suggests a requirement to do something. Most naturally that is in the present situation. You are talking to someone on the phone and because you are in a hurry, you say: I have to go now because I have got an appointment to go to the dentist at 4. 'I will have to' also suggests a requirement to do something. Most naturally that is in a time that is coming up. You are talking on the phone and because there is a knock on the door, you say: I will have to call you back later because the plumber has come to service my central heating.
Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Prepositions |
|
Alan
Co-founder
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 9209
Location: UK
|
 |
| #4 (permalink) Mon Mar 09, 2009 13:54 pm Have to and Will have to (I have work to do. I have to do it tomorrow.) |
|
|
Hi Alan
Ah ha! Apparently we've managed to agree in this thread!
Ain't life grand? 
Amy
_________________
ESL teacher, translator, native speaker of American English and author of more than 8000 posts on this site. |
|
AmYankee
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 21 Nov 2008
Posts: 46
Location: USA
|
|
|
| Sentence: Tired though / as / that she was, she went to bed early. | Usage of 'stay regular' |
