Ways of expressing the Future (0)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ways of expressing the Future 
 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 
 
 
Future Simple  ...................................................................... 2 
Be going to ........................................................................... 3 
Present Continuous  .............................................................. 3 
Present Simple ..................................................................... 4 
Future Continuous ............................................................... 4 
Future Perfect ....................................................................... 6 
Other ways of referring to the future ..................................... 7 
Other future references......................................................... 8 
 
 
Future Simple 
   
In Future Simple we use the modal verb  will + the verb . It is the same in all 
persons. 
 
 
I will work   
 
 
I’ll work 
 
you will study  
 
 
you’ll study 
he will come  
 
 
he’ll come 
Negative  
I/you/he/we/they will not write   
 
 
I/you/he/we/they won’t write 
Question  Will you/he/she/we/they come? 
  
1. We often use will as a neutral way of expressing the future. We use will to say 
what we know or think about the future. 
It is known as the predictive future, and describes known facts, or what we 
suppose is true. 
  
I’ll be  late  home this evening . 
  
The 
company 
will make a profit next  year . 
This can also take the form of an assumption: 
  
That'll be Jim at the  door . (This means that I suppose it is Jim.) 
  
2.  Will  is also used to express an immediate decision, when we decide on 
something or agree to do it more or less at the moment of speaking. 
 
 I’ll take this one. 
Decisions expressed with  going to  refer to a more distant point in the future. 
 
3. Will does not  express an intention . For that we use be going to. 
 
 
  
 
 
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Be going to 
 
  
We use the present tense of the verb be in the right form + going to + verb. 
    
I 
am going to travel   
I’m going to travel 
    
he/she 
is going to play 
he’s/she’s going to play 
    
we/you/they 
are going to drive   
    
we’re/you’re/they’re going to drive 
Negative I 
am not going to work  I’m not going to work 
    
he/she 
is not going to fly he/she 
isn’t going to fly 
    
we/you/they 
are not going to walk   
    
we/you/they 
aren ’t going to walk 
Question  Is he/she going to leave? 
   
 
Are we/you/they going to finish?  
  
1. Be going to describes intentions or  plans . By the moment of speaking the 
plans have already been made. 
 I’m going to  wait   here until Carol gets   back . 
 2.  Going to  is also used for a  prediction  when we see from the present 
situation what is going to happen in the future. 
 
  Look  at that tree! It’s going to  fall . 
Decisions expressed with going to refer to a more distant point in the future. 
  
Present Continuous  
  
Present Continuous describes  fixed arrangements , especially social and travel 
arrangements. A time reference is usually included. 
   
I’m  meeting   Mary  at 5 o’ clock . 
   John’s seeing his  dentist   tomorrow . 
 
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Present Simple 
  
1. We use the Present Simple for future when we are talking about a timetable, 
usually a public one such as a train timetable. 
 
The train leaves at  five twenty -five tomorrow  morning .   
 The 
football  
match 
starts at  half  past five. 
 
I’ve got the  tour details here . We spend three days  in Rome. 
  
2. Present Simple is also used to describe fixed events which are not simply the 
wishes of the speaker. 
  
Tom retires in three  years . 
 It's 
all 
go 
- next week I have my operation; then the week after that I  
 
go on holiday ... 
  
3. Similarly , calendar references use the Present Simple. 
Christmas  is on a Tuesday next year. 
Next  Friday  is the thirteenth. 
 
  
Future Continuous 
  
In Future Continuous we use will be + an ing-form. It is the same in all  
persons. 
    
I/you/he/she/we/they 
will be working    
I’/you’/he’/she’/we’/they’ ll/be working 
   
 
Negative  I/you/he/she/we/they 
will not be sleeping   
           
I/you/he/she/we won’t be sleeping 
   
 
Question   Will I/you/he/she/we/they  be travelling? 
 
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1.The Future Continuous describes an event which will be happening at a 
future point.  
 
 
Come round in the morning. I’ll  be painting the kitchen . 
  
2. It can also describe events which are going to happen anyway, rather than  
events which we choose to make happen. 
  I won't bother to fix a time to see you, because I’ll be staying in the  
  office all day long anyway. You can come at any time.   
  
3. The Future Continuous is also used for  actions  that are going on now and 
which we think will progress into the future. 
  
 They’ll be working on this project   till  next spring. 
  
4. In some contexts Future Continuous also sounds more polite  than will. 
Using the Future Continuous is a polite way to ask other people about their 
intentions  without  trying to influence  them . 
      Will you be needing any more help with this, or can I go home now? 
      Will you be seeing Michael next week? If so, could you give him this? 
      Will you be going to the shops later ? If you go, could you buy me  
      some potatoes? 
  
5. It can also be used to refer to fixed arrangements and plans.    
  
The 
band  
will be performing  live in Paris  this  summer . 
  
 
 
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Future Perfect 
 
In the Future Perfect Simple we use will have + a Past Participle
  
  I/you/he/she/we/they 
will have completed 
 
  
  I’/you’/he’/she’/we’/they’ll have completed 
Negative I/you/he/she/we/they 
will not have finished    
 
  
I/you/he/she/we/they 
won’t have finished 
Question   
Will he have cooked? 
 
In the Future Perfect Continuous we use will have been + an ing-form 
 I/you/he/she/we/they 
will have been reading    
 
 I’/you’/he’/she’/we’/they’ll have been reading 
 I/you/he/she/we/they 
will not have been studying      
 I/you/he/she/we/they 
won’t have been studying 
 
Will he have been working? 
  
Both the Future Perfect Simple and Future Perfect Continuous  forms refer to 
the time which we look back at from a future point.  
1.We use the Future Perfect to say that something will be ended, completed, or 
achieved by a particular point in the future. 
  
By the time we  phone  he’ll already have started . 
 
Let’s hope  the volcanic eruption will have finished  before we  
arrive on the island .  
By the time you get home I will have cleaned  the house from top to  
bottom . 
 
  In two years’ time I'll have finished this book, so I hope I will be  
 
   able to join you on your trip around the world. 
 
   Please  don’t come too early  tomorrow. I will have been working on  
 
  my essay  till late  tonight , so I may want to  sleep longer in the  
  
morning. 
 
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2. The Future Perfect Continuous is used to describe activities which  will 
have been happening until a certain time in the future. We can use it to 
emphasize how long something has been going on by a particular point in the 
future.  
  
On Saturday, we will have been living in this house for a year. 
 
Next year I will have been working in this company for 30 years. 
By the end of the month , I'll have been working for this firm for a year. 
By 2015 he will have been working on this project for  twelve years. 
3. The Future Perfect can also be used to express an assumption on the part of 
the speaker. 
  
You 
won't have heard the news, of  course .    
(This means that I assume you have not heard the news.) 
 
 
Other ways of referring to the future 
  
1. Is / are to be 
This is used to describe  formal arrangements. 
  
All 
students  are to assemble in the hall at 9.00. 
  
2. Be about to, be on the point of, be due to 
Be about to and be on the point of both refer to the next moment. 
  
I 
think 
the 
play is about to start now. 
  
Mary 
is 
on the point of resigning. 
Be due to refers to scheduled times . 
  
The 
play is due to start in five minutes. 
  
Ann's 
flight  is due at 6.20. 
  
 
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3. Present Simple and Present Perfect 
Present Simple is used to refer to future time in future time clauses . 
  
When 
we get  there , we'll have dinner . 
Present Perfect can also be used instead of Present Simple when the 
completion of the event is emphasised. 
  
When 
we've had a  rest , we'll go out. 
Other future references 
 
1. Hope 
This can be followed by either present or future tenses . 
 I 
hope 
it 
doesn't rain. 
 I 
hope 
it won't rain. 
  
2. Other verbs followed by will. 
Most verbs of thinking can be followed by will if there is a future reference. 
These include : think, believe, expect ,  doubt . 
 I 
expect 
the 
train 
will be late. 
 I 
doubt 
whether 
United 
will win. 
  
3. Just / just about to 
Just can be used to describe something on the point of happening. 
 Hurry 
up! 
The 
train is just leaving / just about to leave. 
  
4.  Shall  
The use of shall for first person in future reference is generally considered to be 
restricted in British English and possibly declining in use. For some speakers, 
shall is used in formal speech and in written language . 
 
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