when it will have thinned out

[EngLearner]

A: "We'd better get going. Traffic is getting heavier and heavier."
B: "So why not leave in an hour or two, when it [will have thinned]/[has thinned]/[thins] out?"

Which options would be appropriate in the above dialog?

 

[emsr2d2]

Which would you choose and why? We're not here to just hand out answers - you have to do some work!

 

[EngLearner]

I would choose either "will have thinned" or "has thinned" because the speaker is talking about what will already have happened in an hour or two.

Is my choice correct?

 

[probus]

"Will have thinned" is grammatical and logical but it's the wrong answer. This is often a difficult point for learners because many languages would use their equivalent of '"will have thinned." But we don't do so in English. "Has thinned" is correct.

 

[Piscean]

B: "So why not leave in an hour or two, when it [will have thinned]/[has thinned]/[thins] out?"

All three are possible.

 

[jutfrank]

You want the present perfect 'has thinned'.

 

[Piscean]

All three are possible.

B: "So why not leave in an hour or two, when it will have thinned] out?" I am asserting the certainty of this,

B: "So why not leave in an hour or two, when it has thinned out?" The neutral way of expressing this,

B: "So why not leave in an hour or two, when it thins out?" ... as it normally does at that time.

 

[EngLearner]

@probus, @jutfrank, what do you think about this example:

We're still waiting for the test results, when we'll decide our next move. (this link)

It has "will" in the when clause, and it's structure is similar to the example in post #1.

 

[jutfrank]

@jutfrank, what do you think about this example:

We're still waiting for the test results, when we'll decide our next move. (this link)

What exactly do you want to know?

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd use "will have thinned" there.

 

[EngLearner]

We're still waiting for the test results, when we'll decide our next move. (this link)

What exactly do you want to know?

Do you consider the use of "will" correct there?

 

[jutfrank]

Do you consider the use of "will" correct there?

Sure, though the sentence as a whole isn't an example of good English.

The sentence is basically equivalent to saying 'When we get the test results, we'll decide our next move'.

 

[EngLearner]

Sure

Well, then do you consider "will have thinned" incorrect in the example in post #1?

 

[jutfrank]

Well, then do you consider "will have thinned" incorrect in the example in post #1?

No, not at all. I just thought that probably wasn't what you wanted.