Using "will" for persistent habit. (2025)

M

M56

Banned

Madrid

Britain. English.

  • Dec 12, 2005
  • #1

In my variant of English, "will" (non-future use) is used to talk about a persistent habit or characterstic behaviour. Can you do that in your variant?

Examples:

He will bite his nails so.

If you will keep nagging him, it's no wonder he gets up and leaves.

She'll just sit there for hours staring into space.

The difference is, wild rats will kill and eat a mouse, starting with its liver first, a domesticated rat will kill a mouse and start eating it brain first.

  • cuchuflete

    Senior Member

    Maine, EEUU

    EEUU-inglés

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #2

    In my variant of the same language, the first two examples sound a little odd, especially the second one. If I were to hear it, rather than read it, I would expect an British or Australian accent to adorn the words.

    The third and fourth sentences seem absolutely normal.

    I will always enjoy discovering and pondering this magical BE/AE "thingy".

    M

    M56

    Banned

    Madrid

    Britain. English.

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #3

    cuchuflete said:

    I will always enjoy discovering and pondering this magical BE/AE "thingy".

    Yes, and the Indian English, NZEng, CanEng, AusEng, etc. thing.
    Using "will" for persistent habit. (2)

    Would this be odd in your variant?

    "He​

    will go out wearing only a T-shirt in cold weather."

    cuchuflete

    Senior Member

    Maine, EEUU

    EEUU-inglés

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #4

    It wouldn't be odd, in that I would recognize and understand the intent, and I wouldn't feel awkward. Yet it would be much more common for me to hear and say, "He goes out/is in the habit of going out/often goes out/insists on going out......wearing only......"

    M

    M56

    Banned

    Madrid

    Britain. English.

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #5

    cuchuflete said:

    It wouldn't be odd, in that I would recognize and understand the intent, and I wouldn't feel awkward. Yet it would be much more common for me to hear and say, "He goes out/is in the habit of going out/often goes out/insists on going out......wearing only......"

    OK, thanks. Interesting differences.

    cuchuflete

    Senior Member

    Maine, EEUU

    EEUU-inglés

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #6

    Yes. These are simply regional stylistic habits, I think. I don't find your version or any of those I offered "better" or less correct.

    M

    M56

    Banned

    Madrid

    Britain. English.

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #7

    cuchuflete said:

    Yes. These are simply regional stylistic habits, I think. I don't find your version or any of those I offered "better" or less correct.

    Well, the use of "will" for habit or characteristic is as old as the hills in BrEng. I wonder how it got lost when it crossed the sea to your shores?

    Nick

    Senior Member

    Western USA

    USA, English

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #8

    cuchuflete said:

    In my variant of the same language, the first two examples sound a little odd, especially the second one. If I were to hear it, rather than read it, I would expect an British or Australian accent to adorn the words.

    The third and fourth sentences seem absolutely normal.

    I will always enjoy discovering and pondering this magical BE/AE "thingy".

    I agree. 1 and 2 are off, 3 and 4 are alright.

    elroy

    Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

    Chicago, IL

    US English, Palestinian Arabic bilingual

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #9

    #1 would sound better to me with some more information:

    No matter how many times you tell him to stop, he'll just keep right on biting his nails.

    #2 would never work for me, because I can't imagine myself saying "if you will keep nagging him" to mean "if you continue to nag him." I would venture to say that I don't think this persistent-habit "will" works after "if."

    #3 and #4, as has already been mentioned, are flawless and idiomatic.

    M

    M56

    Banned

    Madrid

    Britain. English.

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #10

    elroy said:

    #2 would never work for me, because I can't imagine myself saying "if you will keep nagging him" to mean "if you continue to nag him." I would venture to say that I don't think this persistent-habit "will" works after "if."

    How about:

    If you will insist on...

    M

    M56

    Banned

    Madrid

    Britain. English.

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #11

    Nick said:

    I agree. 1 and 2 are off, 3 and 4 are alright.

    I hope you mean "off" in your variant. They are absolutely fine in mine.

    elroy

    Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

    Chicago, IL

    US English, Palestinian Arabic bilingual

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #12

    M56 said:

    How about:

    If you will insist on...

    Nope.

    I'd say "if you continue to insist on," "if you keep (on) insisting on," etc., but not "if you will insist on." At least not without changing the meaning.

    M

    M56

    Banned

    Madrid

    Britain. English.

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #13

    elroy said:

    Nope.

    I'd say "if you continue to insist on," "if you keep (on) insisting on," etc., but not "if you will insist on." At least not without changing the meaning.

    In my variant, we can say all of those, but the version with "will" often better expresses the irritation of the speaker towards the listener.

    Brioche

    Senior Member

    Adelaide

    Australia English

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #14

    M56 said:

    In my variant of English, "will" (non-future use) is used to talk about a persistent habit or characterstic behaviour. Can you do that in your variant?

    Examples:

    He will bite his nails so.

    If you will keep nagging him, it's no wonder he gets up and leaves.

    She'll just sit there for hours staring into space.

    The difference is, wild rats will kill and eat a mouse, starting with its liver first, a domesticated rat will kill a mouse and start eating it brain first.

    All fine in AusEng.

    The will would be stressed in 1 and 2, and would indicate a "willful" continuing of the behaviour, despite being advised otherwise.

    M

    M56

    Banned

    Madrid

    Britain. English.

    • Dec 12, 2005
    • #15

    Brioche said:

    All fine in AusEng.

    The will would be stressed in 1 and 2, and would indicate a "willful" continuing of the behaviour, despite being advised otherwise.

    Good for Oz!

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