The document discusses various ways to talk about the future in English, including:
1) The present simple is used for timetabled future events or natural laws. The present continuous is used for definite future plans or arrangements. "Be going to" expresses plans, intentions, or predictions based on evidence.
2) The future simple expresses on-the-spot decisions or predictions based on beliefs. The future continuous emphasizes actions that will be in progress at a future time.
3) The future perfect simple and future perfect continuous are used to talk about the completion of an action before a specified time in the future.
4) When talking about the future in the past, the past continuous or "was
3. The plane leaves in half an hour. future events that are timetabled or part of a calendar
4. NOTE arrangement is impersonal, someone else has made it or it is part of a natural law personal arrangement, where the speaker or another person has made the decision The next college term starts on 8th September. I’m starting a new course in biology next term.
9. He’s going to study architecture when he finishes school. plans, intentions or ambitions for the future
10. Mark is going to get married next month. actions we have already decided to do in the near future
11. BE GOING TO vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS when you have made some basic plans when more definite plans are made I’m going to buy an old barn and do it up. We’ve signed the contracts and we’re moving into the building on Monday.
12. Look at the clouds. It is going to rain. predictions based on what we can see or what we know, especially there is evidence that something will happen
13. I won’t be a minute. I’m just going to say goodbye to my colleague. to say what someone is just about to do
14. tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, tonight, soon, next week / month / year / summer, in a week / month etc. TIME EXPRESSIONS
16. Someone is knocking on the door. I’ll see who it is. decisions made at the moment of speaking (on-the-spot decisions)
17. He will certainly call you tomorrow. predictions about the future, based on what we think, believe or imagine (with the verbs think, believe, expect etc; the expressions be sure, be afraid etc; and the adverbs probably, certainly, perhaps etc.
18. Will you show me how to surf on the internet? promises, threats, warnings, requests, hopes & offers
19. Jennifer will be fifteen years old this August. actions, events, situations which will definitely happen in the future and which we can’t control
20. The train standing on platform 3 will stop at Oxford. to ask for and give information about the future, which is often a simple matter of fact
21. tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, tonight, soon, next week / month / year / summer, in a week / month etc. TIME EXPRESSIONS
23. This time next week I’ll be visiting the sights in Prague. for actions which will be in progress at a stated future time
24. He will be working this weekend. for actions which will definitely happen in the future as the reasult of a routine or an arrangement
25. Will you be using the car tonight? when we ask politely about someone’s plans for the near future
26. The tour includes meals and transportation. some other verbs (be, contain, include, belong, fit, need, matter, cost, own, want, owe, weigh, wish, have, keep, etc)
27. in a few months time, before long, this time next year, by December etc. TIME EXPRESSIONS
32. By the end of March, Jason will have been studying for two years. to emphasise the duration of an action up to a certain time in the future (with phrases starting with for)
34. past continuous or was / were going toDanny waited outside the station. He was meeting his daughter at 2 o’clock and they were going to watch the Cup Final. would + infinitiveNone of us thought the exam would be so easy. was / were to + infinitiveA politician was to give a speech, but she didn’tn turn up. The structures to use when you are talking about the past, and want to say that something was still in the future at that time
35. Use the present tense in many future subordinate clauses. Use a future form in the main clause.He’s going to Barcelona, when he gets a ticket. (NOT: when he will get) Use the present perfect after as soon as or when to express completionJames is going to have a party as soon as his parents have gone away. Use the present cointinuous after while to show that the action still continuesI’ll stop drilling while you are trying to work. Time clauses in the future