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  1. Now, I will first check if the CD I'd like to buy is or is going to be in your stock before ordering in the USA.

  2. Now, I will first check if the CD I'd like to buy is or will be in your stock before ordering in the USA.

Is will possible in the subordinate clause? I think that second sentence with "will be" is not possible here because it is an if sentence .

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  • Will is only appropriate if you are talking about a future action. "Before I order that CD next week, I will check...". You want to know whether it is in stock at the time of ordering.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Nov 27, 2022 at 10:09
  • Is going to be ok if the record is not in stock now but will be in the future.
    – Yves Lefol
    Commented Nov 27, 2022 at 10:42
  • Certainly it is, if you are prepared to wait for them to order a new supply.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Nov 27, 2022 at 15:00
  • my question was more of the use of will , I think in my example will will sound awkward
    – Yves Lefol
    Commented Nov 27, 2022 at 16:28
  • 2
    You need to structure your question a lot more carefully. It's hard to tell which part you're asking about, as you don't separate quotes from speculation & question. Presenting alternatives in bold really doesn't help. Make two quotes, one for each interpretation, then ask about them separately, with reasoning. The whole thing is difficult to read & comprehend.
    – DoneWithThis.
    Commented Nov 27, 2022 at 17:18

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The sentence is fine with "will" for two reasons.

First, "if" here is used in the sense of "whether", and the rule about not using "will" doesn't apply to the meaning of "whether".

Second, even a conditional sentence with "if" can have "will":

Can you assure me that the CD will be in stock in the next month? I'll order from you if it will be in stock.

The rule about not using "will" with "if" only applies when the condition is a future event. Most of the time, the "will" verb describes a future event, as in, "We'll move the party inside if it rains." But in this case, the condition is not a future event. The condition is the present knowledge of a future state. The buyer is making the decision now based on present knowledge of what's going to happen. It means something more like,

I'll order from you if I know that it will be in stock in the future.

The present knowledge is the condition, not the arrival of the CD in the future.

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