"Will you buy" vs. "Will you be buying"

[Chang]

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #116 "Future Tenses", question 8

......... be buying the house or haven't you decided yet?

(a) Did you
(b) Have you
(c) Were you
(d) Will you

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #116 "Future Tenses", answer 8

Will you be buying the house or haven't you decided yet?

Correct answer: (d) Will you
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What's the difference between "Will you buy..." and "Will you be buying..."? Is the latter one related to the status of progressive in the future?
Thanks in advance!

Chang

[Mister Micawber]

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Using the progressive here expresses increased interest by the speaker. By using this aspect, the speaker highlights the immediacy of the action in his eyes.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber

[Alan]

Hi Chang,

An interesting point. The use here in the sentence of the future progressive is to show that the questioner is being tentative. The question: Will you buy? is more direct.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Saying It Twice