4
  1. I will be watching a movie at this time tomorrow.

  2. I will be watching a movie tomorrow at this time.

  3. I will be watching a movie by this time tomorrow.

Which one is correct to use?

Please help me. Thanks

user92268
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  • 1, and 2 are syntactically correct and idiomatic. The first is preferable. However "by this time tomorrow" means that between now and tomorrow you will have watched – mplungjan Sep 23 '14 at 12:03

1 Answers1

3

It depends what you mean. Examples 1 and 2 mean the same thing, and are both grammatically correct. They both convey that, at this specific time tomorrow, you will be in the process of watching. There is also a suggestion that you will start watching it at this specific time.

As @mplungjan indicates, there is a difference in example 3. it is also grammatically correct, but the phrase by this time tomorrow means something will happen between now and the same time tomorrow. In your example, the watching could start at any time between now and then. You may be beginning the movie at this time tomorrow or you may be completing the movie or anywhere in between.

The phrase will be watching conveys that the activity will still be ongoing at this time tomorrow, not completed. To convey completion by this time tomorrow, you would say

I will have watched a movie by this time tomorrow.

bib
  • 72,782
  • Thanks bib, I have one more question: is it correct to say: he was watching television when I went there. Or should it be: he was watching television when I go there. I think it should be 'when I went there' – user92268 Sep 23 '14 at 12:42
  • Both events are in the past. When I went there is correct. – bib Sep 23 '14 at 12:53