Future
Sometimes the same future event can be
expressed in different ways:
√ The shop closes at 3 pm tomorrow.
√ The shop will close at 3 pm tomorrow.
√ The shop is closing at 3 pm tomorrow.
√ The shop is going to close at 3 pm tomorrow.
Which way you choose depends on a number of things:
Function (is it a Request? Offer? Promise?)
How do you see the future event?
Level of formality
There are several future FORMS:
Will + infinitive
Be going to + infinitive
Present Continuous: am/is/are + verb-ing
Present Simple: base verb
Future Perfect Simple: will have + past participle
Future Perfect Continuous: will have been + verb-ing
Future Continuous: will be + verb-ing
And different WAYS to speak about the future:
Be (just) about to
Be (just) on the point of
Be (just) on the verge of
Be due to
Be to do
Modals
Future forms
Will is used:
Predictions : It looks as if Jim will lose his job.
Future facts: The factory will open in July.
Spontaneous decisions: I’ll tell him when I see him.
Offers: I’ll help you with the advertising campaign.
Promises: I promise you won’t lose your job.
Request: Will you help me with the presentation?
Refusals: I’ve already asked him but he won’t do it.
Notes:
For offers and suggestions in question form, with I and we,
use shall not will:
Shall I help you with the advertising campaign? (offer)
Shall we discuss this in the morning? (suggestion)
For requests we can also use would/could/can. Would and
could are more polite than will and can.
Would/Could/Can/Will you give a presentation tomorrow?
Be going to + infinitive
Prediction based on evidence:
Look at that wall. It looks as if it’s going to fall down.
Intentions:
I’m going to get my degree then get a well-paid job.
Decisions made before the moment of speaking
We are going to stay in Spain for one year.
Present Continuous
Definite Arrangements (place and time are
already known)
I’m meeting Fiona tomorrow at the Boulevard
Cafe to talk about the advertising campaign.
Present Simple
Fixed future events: timetables / schedules
The shop closes at 3pm next Saturday.
Future Perfect Simple
Completed situations before a certain time:
It looks as if Jake will have lost his job by the end of the
week.
Continuing situations up to a certain time:
By next Tuesday, I will have worked for the company
for twenty-five years.
Future Perfect Simple
Continuing situations up to a certain time,
emphasizing duration or repitition:
This time next month, I will have been working at the
company for ten years.
Future Continuous
Situations in progress at a certain time in the future:
This time next week, I will be travelling round Russia on
business.
Situations which will happen in the future in the normal
course of events (routine):
I will be taking Benny to school tomorrow at 8.
Habits or repeated actions at a point in the future:
In the future more and more people will be commuting to
work by plane.
Future & Time Clauses
After time words and phrases like: when, while, once, as soon as,
after, before, until, etc.we use one of the following:
Present Simple: I’ll give you a pay rise when you start working
harder.
Present Continuous: I’ll give you a pay rise once you’re bringing
new customers.
Present Perfect Simple: I’ll give you a pay rise as soon as you’ve
proved you’re a hard worker.
Present Perfect Continous: I won’t give you a pay rise until you’ve
been working here for five years.
Other WAYS
Be (just) about to
Be (just) on the point of = NEAR FUTURE
Be (just) on the verge of
I’m just about to ask for my pay rise.
I’m just on the point of / on the verge of asking for my pay
rise.
Other WAYS
Be due to = for formal arrangements
I’m due to meet my boss at twelve.
Be to do = for obligations/formal announcements
You’re to get those reports written by Friday.
The factory is to open in July.
Other WAYS
Modals:
Certainty:
A - There’s someone at the door.
B - That’ll/could/might/must be the postman.
A - It can’t be. He’s already been.
Other WAYS
Modals:
Probability: should, ought to, may/might/could well,
might easily
A - The weather should be good tomorrow, shouldn’t it?
B - Actually, the weather forecast said it may well rain.
Other WAYS
Modals
Possibility: could, may, might
I may/might/could have some time to go to the
library before it closes.
Questions?
