Do I use the simple future tense or the "be going to" tense in a situation that has not yet happened?
- Help! I will fall.
- Help! I am going to fall
My approach:
I think the action will happen in the future. Hence we will fall if no one helps. Therefore, I think the simple future tense will is correct.
Am I right In my approach?
Best Answer
Your approach is about probability of an event in the future but for this case, custom rules govern.
"am going to" is better to describe an immediate action, for example, the falling is going to happen in few seconds.
"Am falling" or "am about to fall" is also fine, serving a function similar to "am going to".
"Will fall" seems to lead people think that the falling is not going to happen soon, or only conditionally happens. For example,
"Help prepare my funeral tonight. I will fall at 10pm sharp." (Not going to happen soon.)
"Help reduce the weight or the plane will fall in an hour." (Conditionally happen)