Pedants' corner
What do I do?
Flyinggeesei234 · 20/01/2023 12:53
What do people think of this? It’s a phrase that seems to be increasing massively in use on here. To my mind ‘what shall I do?’ Or ‘what should I do?’ Makes more sense.
I know it’s correct, and people
known what it means. It just annoys me and it’s not helping to see it so much!
Really interested in others’ thoughts.
upinaballoon · 20/01/2023 15:29
I think I might use any of those three equally but I would be talking about something which I intended to do in the future, so I understand that 'shall' and 'should' are more suited than the 'do', which is using the present tense to talk about something which you will do in the future.
(We seem to use the present tense of the verb 'to go' a lot, when we are talking about the future.
'I shall go to Timbuctoo tomorrow'. 100% correct
'I am going to Timbuctoo tomorrow'. Not really right, but so accepted that we do it all the time, and I can live with it easily.)
PAFMO · 23/01/2023 20:01
upinaballoon · 20/01/2023 15:29
I think I might use any of those three equally but I would be talking about something which I intended to do in the future, so I understand that 'shall' and 'should' are more suited than the 'do', which is using the present tense to talk about something which you will do in the future.
(We seem to use the present tense of the verb 'to go' a lot, when we are talking about the future.
'I shall go to Timbuctoo tomorrow'. 100% correct
'I am going to Timbuctoo tomorrow'. Not really right, but so accepted that we do it all the time, and I can live with it easily.)
"Shall" is used in the first person singular and plural to make or ask for suggestions. It's not a synonym of will. So "I shall go" in an affirmative sentence isn't usual, or standard.
"I am going to Timbuktu" is absolutely correct. It's the "going to" future which denotes a future plan or intention and a decision made before speaking. We'd normally have the main verb following the "going to" (I'm going to visit my friend tomorrow) but we don't use the verbs go, or come, after the going to future.
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