future tenses in English

There are several ways to express the future. Let’s see two of those ways.

• 1. With the modal WILL. (Future Simple)

• 2. With BE GOING TO

AffirmativeSubject+will+base form of verb

She’ll become famous soon.

FUTURE SIMPLE

FUTURE SIMPLE

Negative

Subject+will+not+base form of verb

My friend WILL NOT marry that man.

Will + not= Won´t

FUTURE TENSE

InterrogativeWILL+Subj.+ base form of verb ?

WILL IT rain tomorrow ? Short Answers Yes, it will.No, it won´t.

FUTURE SIMPLE

We use the modal WILL + the base form of the main verb for:

1.Predictions

2. Sudden decisions

3. Promises/Future facts and actions

You will get married and have 10 children!

I’ll have another cup of coffee, please!

Ok Mary, I will try to come to your party

next Saturday Russia will host th

e

football world cup in

2018

GOING TO

AFFIRMATIVE

I am (I’m) You are (You’re)He is (He’s)She is (She’s) going to base form of verbIt is (It’s) We are (We’re)You are (You’re)They are (They’re)

FUTURE TENSE

NegativeI am not not (I’m not)You are notnot (You aren’t)He is notnot(He isn’t)She is notnot (She isn’t) going to base form of verbIt is notnot (It isn’t)We are notnot (We aren’t)You are not not (You aren’t)They are notnot (They aren’t)

FUTURE TENSE

Interrogative

Am IIs she/he/it going to base form of verb? Are you/they

Short answersShort answersYes, + Subject+ amam / is / are.is / are.No, + Subject+ isn’t / aren’t.

*(Note: No, I’m notI’m not).

BE GOING TO

We use BE GOING TO + The base form of the main verb for:

1. Plans and intentions:

2.Predictions based on present evidence:

I am going to practise hard to become a rock

star!

Look at those clouds! It is going to rain!

Look, Mary´s going to have

a baby too.

REMEMBER!

PREDICTIONS

QUICK DECISIONS

PROMISES/FUTURE FACTS

PLANS / INTENTIONS

PREDICTIONS BASED ON

PRESENT EVIDENCE

WILL + V BE GOING TO + V

Choose the right way to express the future in the following situations

SITUATION 1 SITUATION 2 SITUATION 3

You’re thirsty, aren’t you? I (get) you a

glass of water.

Oh no! He really (paint) the room that

colour?

We (not be) back late.The film finishes at 10

p.m.

SITUATION 4 SITUATION 5 SITUATION 6

You’re not well.I (call) the doctor.

In Scotland it (rain) tomorrow. In the south of England it (be) sunny.

Ketchup or mayonnaise?

I (have) mayonnaise, please.

1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper? 1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper? B: I (write)___________ a letter to my friends back home in Texas. B: I (write)___________ a letter to my friends back home in Texas.

2. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up! 2. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up! B: I (get)_________ you a cup of coffee. That will B: I (get)_________ you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up. wake you up.

3. A: I can't hear the television! 3. A: I can't hear the television! B: I (turn) __________ it up so you can hear it. B: I (turn) __________ it up so you can hear it.

4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) ___________Paris and Nice. 4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) ___________Paris and Nice.

5. A: It is so hot in here! 5. A: It is so hot in here! B: I (turn)________ the air conditioning on. B: I (turn)________ the air conditioning on.

6. I think he (be)_________ the next President of the United States.6. I think he (be)_________ the next President of the United States.

7. I (go) ___________to work in ten minutes.7. I (go) ___________to work in ten minutes.

8. I guess I ____________stay home tonight.8. I guess I ____________stay home tonight.

9. I________be in Texas next week.9. I________be in Texas next week.

Dianarella is a princess. She wants to know what will happen to her in the future, so she

goes to visit a fortune teller

D:Can you see my future?

FT: I certainly can.

D: Tell me about it!

FT: You will marry a rich prince.

D: Auch! Can you see him?

Is he handsome?

FT: Well … Not when you first meet him…He looks like a frog!

P: A frog?

F: Yes…Some day you will meet a frog! And you will kiss it.

P: I will not!

F: Yes, you will and it will turn to a handsome prince!

FT: What are you doing?

P: I’m not going to listen to any more! I’m going to back to the palace!

FT: You can’t change the future my dear…

(When Dianarella returns to the palace…)

FT: Oh!! My dear, you will have to kiss a lot of frogs before to find the right

one.

OTHER WAYS OF EXPRESSING THE FUTURE

The simple present and present progressive are also used to express future time. These are often used used in connection with schedules.

-The train leaves at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.

-She is meeting a new client at six o’clock in the evening and she is travelling by byke through the forest.

1. The present continuous for future plans:

fixed plans with definite time and/or place.

Examples:• I'm doing my homework this evening.• I'm starting university in September.• Sally is meeting John at seven o'clock this evening in a restaurant

downtown.

2. To be + going to + verb:

A. We use 'going to' to express the future when we intend to do something or have decided to do something but did not arrange it. It is just an intention.

Example:• A: The windows are dirty.

B: Yes I know. I'm going to clean them later.

• B. We also use 'going to' to make predictions.

Watch out! you are going to break the glass.

It's so cloudy! I think it's going to rain.

present continuous and be going to  with future meaning

• Complete the text with the correct form of the verb. Use short forms if possible. Type the verb into the box.

I (1)………………….. (go) on holiday with my best friend next week and I've just finished making the travel arrangements! I (2)…………………………..(meet) Jack at the station at five o'clock and we (3)…………………….(leave) on the 5.30 train. We (4)………………………   (catch) the ferry at Dover at 7 p.m. We haven't booked anywhere to stay yet, so we (5)…………………..  (find) a hotel when we arrive. We haven't got a lot of money, so we (6)……………………..  (look for) somewhere cheap. I can't wait! I'm sure we (7)…………………….   (have) a fantastic time!