1

Imagine this scenario:

I reserved in a restaurant two days ago. Today I've met my friend and have told him:

  1. "I am dining out in a restaurant next Monday."

Here is my question: is present continous better than "going to" in that case? I chose present continuous because I have already reserved. Am I true? Or would it be better to say:

  1. "I am going to dine out in a restaurant next Monday."
Improve this question
6
  • I haven't seen the case in English (yet), but there are other languages in which you can use the "whole" present tense, preferably continuous, for reporting future definite actions.
    – M.A.R.
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 17:58
  • Either is acceptable; there is no consistent difference in meaning.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 17:59
  • 2
    Please edit your question and get rid of the ALL CAPS in the title
    – user6951
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 18:23
  • @MARamezani "Tomorrow I'm finally leaving the country", etc.
    – Maciej Stachowski
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 21:08
  • "I reserved in" would be more natural as "I made a reservation at". Also you need to capitalize "Monday".
    – user3169
    Commented Jan 18, 2015 at 21:22

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

I am going to dine out at/in a restaurant next Monday.

I am dining at/in a restaurant next Monday.

In this context, you can use either "the present continuous" or "be going to", without any difference in meaning. Even you can use "will" in this sentence, as mentioned by J.R. in his reply.

However, if you want your sentence to be more precise, you can use the first sentence, which expresses the action that is more likely to happen because of the arrangements you have made.

According to grammar, the present continuous is indicative of intention/decision + arrangements, whereas the use of "be going to" merely expresses your intention/decision.

Improve this answer
0

The fact that you've already made a reservation doesn't change the tense. Since you're not dining out until next Monday, you should use a future tense. Use either:

I will dine at a restaurant next Monday.

or:

I'm going to dine at a restaurant next Monday.

I made a couple changes to your suggested wording:

  • I like the preposition at instead of in; in is not wrong, but I prefer at.

  • I changed dine out to dine. I might use eat out, but I prefer dine over dine out in this sentence.

I don't consider those corrections – more like suggested improvements. Local dialects may vary.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .