Future Forms

Present Simple

The plane leaves in half an hour.future events that are timetabled or part of a calendar

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.

Present Continuous

- What are you doing next Saturday?

- I’m taking my driving test.definite plans or arrangements

You had better hurry up and get ready, because

we’re leaving very soon.with verbs of motion, even if no fixed arrangements have been made

Be going to

He’s going to study architecture when he

finishes school.plans, intentions or ambitions for the future

Mark is going to get married next month.

actions we have already decided to do in the near future

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.

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

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

tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, tonight, soon, next week / month / year / summer, in a week / month etc.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Future Simple

Someone is knocking on the door. I’ll see who it is.

decisions made at the moment of speaking (on-the-spot decisions)

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.

Will you show me how to surf on the

internet?promises, threats, warnings, requests, hopes & offers

Jennifer will be fifteen years old this August.

actions, events, situations which will definitely happen in the future and which we can’t control

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

tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, tonight, soon, next week / month / year / summer, in a week / month etc.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Future Continuous

This time next week I’ll be visiting the sights in

Prague.for actions which will be in progress at a stated future time

He will be working this weekend.

for actions which will definitely happen in the future as the reasult of a routine or an arrangement

Will you be using the car tonight?

when we ask politely about someone’s plans for the near future

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)

in a few months time, before long, this time next year, by December etc.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Future Perfect Simple

We will have finished work by the time the game

starts tonight.for actions that will have finished before a stated time in the future

before, by, by then, by the time, by Monday, by lunchtime, by this time next year, unitl / till (in negative sentences)

TIME EXPRESSIONS

Future Perfect Continuous

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)

The future in the past

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

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