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Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

FUTURE TENSE OVERVIEW

A summary of all the forms used in the future tense.

A.

FUTURE ACTIONS

If you want to write or speak about a FUTURE ACTION, there are four main ways in which to do this. 1) If you want to write or talk about arrangements made for the future you use the PRESENT CONTINUOUS tense.

The PRESENT CONTINUOUS tense

VERB: TO DO Im doing Youre doing He/she/it is doing We are doing They are doing VERB: TO GO Im going Youre going He/she/it is going We are going They are going VERB: TO SEE Im seeing Youre seeing He/she/it is seeing We are seeing They are seeing

Examples:
Next week Im going to the theatre. When are you getting married? He is seeing his mother on Tuesday She is travelling to York at the weekend.

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.13 FUTURE action Present Continuous Exercises

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Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

2)

For timetables , programmes etc. the PRESENT SIMPLE is used.

The PRESENT SIMPLE tense

VERB: TO DO I leave You leave He/she/it leaves We leave They leave Examples: What time does the train leave for London? It leaves at seven oclock. Hurry! We dont want to be late for the film. It starts at eight oclock. I start my Spanish course next week. On the course, you begin by learning the keyboard. The following week you start typing whole sentences. When you leave the course, you should be able to type competently. What time does the session begin? It begins at 9.00. They leave for Caracas next Tuesday. VERB: TO START I start You start He/she/it starts We start They start VERB: TO BEGIN I begin You begin He/she/it begins We begin They begin

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.14 FUTURE action the Present Simple tense (timetables etc.) Exercises

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Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

3.

I am going to .. e.g. make, take, help, seem, etc. You are going to e.g. make, take, help, seem, etc. He/she/it is going e.g. make, take, help, seem, etc. We are going to .. e.g. make, take, help, seem, etc. They are going to . e.g. make, take, help, seem, etc. Examples: Im going to go to University next year. (going to + infinitive: to GO) You are going to visit Paris next week (going to + infinitive: to VISIT) He is going to see his sister on Tuesday (going to + infinitive: to SEE) We are going to work in Amsterdam in June (goingto+ infinitive:to WORK) I think it is going to rain (going to + verb: to RAIN) They are going to refuse to accept his apology (going to + infinitive: to REFUSE) It is going to make all the difference. (going to + infinitive: to MAKE)

When somebody has already decided to do something in the future the form GOING TO + THE INFINITIVE OF THE VERB is used.

GOING TO + THE INFINITIVE OF THE VERB

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.15 FUTURE going to + infinitive verb

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Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

4.

I will (or Ill) . e.g. stay, take, have, etc. You will (or Youll) .. e.g. stay, take, have, etc. He/she/it will (or Hell, shell, itll ) e.g. stay, take, have, etc. We will (or Well) .. e.g. stay, take, have, etc. They (or Theyll ) e.g. stay, take, have, etc. PTO/

The final way in which future actions are talked about is when we decide or agree to do something at the time of speaking. This is different from the previous case when the action had already been decided upon (see picture below and the previous page going to + infinitive verb) . In this situation WILL ( LL) + the VERB

WILL + VERB

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Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

Examples:
A

B
A B A B A B

I want you to leave the flat right now! O.K. Ill go in five minutes time You look sad. Ill try to cheer you up. If you tell me any of your dreadful jokes, Ill walk out! Ive just decided ! Ill phone up Jim and Ill end our relationship. If you do, Ill open a bottle to celebrate! It will take you all day to travel there. You will not have time to see the exhibition. Never mind, Ill go another time, when Ill be more relaxed and itll be more enjoyable.

Notice that, in all of these examples, the speakers are deciding what to do at the time of speaking.

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.16 FUTURE will + verb

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Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

B.

WILL is most often used to talk about future happenings (something will happen) I dont think Geeta is happy here, I think she will leave soon. This time next year I will be in America. I will be married in a weeks time. The negative of will is will not, often shortened to wont. I wont be at home when you call. She wont pass her exams if she doesnt work hard Will is often used in the following situations:

Offering to do something.
That case looks heavy. Ill help you with it. ( not I help)

Agreeing to do something
A. B. Can you give me a lift to the station? Of course I will.

Promising to do something
I promise that I will keep your secret. No one will ever know the truth.

Asking someone to do something

Will you please open the door ? Will you post this letter for me?

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.17 FUTURE happenings and situations

FUTURE HAPPENINGS AND SITUATIONS

Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

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C. FUTURE CONTINUOUS -WILL BE DOING, WILL BE ING

This is used to indicate that you will be in the middle of doing something,
Example: This time next week Ill be lying on a beach and doing nothing. Dont phone me this evening as well be having a meeting.

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.18 FUTURE continuous

D.

FUTURE PERFECT - WILL HAVE DONE

This is used to say that something will already be complete.

Examples: The film ends at 6pm. So by 6.30 the film will have ended. David always leaves for work by 8 so he will not be at home at 9. He will have left for work In August, Jenny and Jonathan will have been married for 25 years.

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.19 FUTURE perfect

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Learning Materials/Grammar and Punctuation/ Tenses/1.12 FUTURE tense OVERVIEW .doc

E.

THE PRESENT TENSE IS USED AFTER when/ as soon/ as/ if/ while/ before etc.

Examples: I hope to see you before I go. Do come and have supper with us when you are in London If we dont leave now, well be late. Rosa said, While youre in South America, come and visit us. As soon as you read this exercise, you will be able to understand it.

To practise this, ask the Study Skills tutor for:

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/1. Tenses/1.20 FUTURE Present tense after when, as soon as, if, while, before + present tense