will

[Shinya Maki]

Hello everyone.

I’m interested in the use/meaning of the auxiliary verb “will” in sentence #1 below. A prestigious professor of English in Japan tries in his book to explain the difference of meaning between sentences #1 and #2.

1. If you can’t give me a better price, I’ll look elsewhere.
2. If you can’t give me a better price, I look elsewhere.

What I am sticking to is not the essential point in his argument, but he incidentally says that the “will” in sentence #1 means the speaker’s [= “my” ] assumption/prediction of his [= the speaker’s] “looking elsewhere.” It seems to me, however, that the “will” in sentence #1 means the speaker’s [= “my”] intention/determination of “looking elsewhere.” I understand the auxiliary verb “will” in the finite verb phrase following the first-person pronoun usually means the speaker’s intention/determination.

My question is:
Do you agree with the idea of the professor I mentioned above that the “will” in sentence #1 means the speaker’s assumption/predictability, not the speaker’s intention/determination?

Best regards,
Shinya Maki

[danmahaffey]

1. If you can’t give me a better price, I’ll look elsewhere.
2. If you can’t give me a better price, I look elsewhere.
Unfortunately, sentence #2 is incorrect. "I look elsewhere" is not an English construction. Look to see if you typed it correctly.

Will in sentence #1 seems to indicate intention/determination, as you say, because it is a mild threat to take action if the speaker is not satisfied.

This is different from, "If you take my car to the airport, I'll ride to work with Bill," which is clearly assumption/predictability.

Here's the easy part--will is the right word in either case. Don't lose any sleep over this. (A common American expression)

[Pete]

Unfortunately, sentence #2 is incorrect. "I look elsewhere" is not an English construction. Look to see if you typed it correctly.
...
I certainly agree in the context of the sentence that was being discussed here. However, the quoted clause would be correct and make sense in a context that implies habitual action:
- When Walmart does not have what I'm looking for, I look elsewhere.

[danmahaffey]

I certainly agree in the context of the sentence that was being discussed here. However, the quoted clause would be correct and make sense in a context that implies habitual action:
- When Walmart does not have what I'm looking for, I look elsewhere.I am humbled. You are exactly right.