Notes. Forms and Patterns

1. The Future Simple Tense

(a) Form:

shall/will

+ infinitive without “to”

Positive and negative				Questions
I She You They etc.	‘ll (will) won’t	come. help you. invite Tom		When will	he you they etc.	help me?

Short answer

Will you help me? -

Yes, I will/ I’m afraid I can’t.

2. Meaning: We use «will»

1. to express a future on which the speaker has no influence:

e.g.	Spring will come soon. Next year I’ll be 18. The wedding will take place on June 27th.

2. to express an activity decided at the time of speaking:

e.g.	Which do you want? The blue or the red? - I’ll take the red. Thank you.

3. to make predictions:

e.g.	Tomorrow will be another cold day in all parts of the country.

We use «shall» to express suggestions and offers.

e.g.	Shall we go for a swim tomorrow.

(с) The adverbials of time used with the Future Simple Tense are: tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, in a week (month, year, couple of weeks), next year, in 2005.

(d) Types of questions:

They will need money on the 15th.

Will they need money on the 15th? Will they need money on the 15th or on the 16th? When will they need money? They will need money on the 15th, won’t they? Who will need money on the 15th?

2. Subordinate Clauses of Time and Condition:

In «if-clauses» and «when-clauses» we normally use a present tense to talk about the future.

	e.g.	If I have enough time tomorrow, I’ll come and see you. He’ll be very happy when she arrives.
Note:		I wonder if he will be busy tomorrow.

3. The construction «to be going to» - Future

(a) Forms:

am is are

+

going

+

to

+

infinitive

Positive and negative

Questions

I

‘m (am) ‘m not

am

I

He She It

‘s (is» isn’t

going to work

When

is

he she it

going to arrive?

We You They

‘re (are) aren’t

are

we you they

Short answer

Are they going to get married? -

Yes, they are/No, they aren’t.

2. We use «going to» to express:

1. intentions and plans (in informal style):

e.g.	We’re going to spend the winter in Australia. She’s going to give a party next week.

2. predictions:

e.g.	Look out! She’s going to faint!

4. Modal verbs «may, might»

1. Forms:

Positive and negative

Questions

I You He/she/it We They

may might may not might not

swim.

When

may might

I you he/she/it we they

swim?

«May» and «might» have the same form in all persons.

«May» and «might» are followed by the infinitive without «to».

2. We use «may» and «might» to express:

1. present possibility:

e.g.	I rang but got no answer. He may (might) be away.(=Perhaps he is away.)

2. future possibility:

e.g.	Take the umbrella with you. It might rain. I may go to Paris. (= Perhaps I will go to Paris.) I may play tennis tomorrow. (= Perhaps I will play tennis tomorrow.)

3. requests for permission:

e.g.	May I have some more coffee?

Drills

Drill 1.

He will get married soon. Will he get married soon, indeed? - No, he won’t. He won’t get married soon, I am afraid.

1. He will pass his English exam easily.

2. My teacher will be proud of my progress.

3. They will graduate from college next month.

4. She will make a good housewife.

5. We shall enjoy ourselves at the week-end.

6. We shall manage to get the book by Agatha Christie.

Drill 2.

It rained a lot yesterday. Yes, and it will rain a lot tomorrow too.

She swept the floor yesterday. He repaired the car yesterday. They won the match yesterday. She studied her lessons yesterday.

He got up late yesterday. They were polite yesterday. She was kind yesterday.

Drill 3.

Did you phone me yesterday? No, but I’ll phone you tonight.

Did you phone Harold? Did you phone Hancy? Did you phone Jill and Joe? Did you phone me?

Did you phone John? Did you phone Pat? Did you phone me and Sam?

Drill 4.

How long will it take her to get home from her office? It will take her half an hour to get there.

1. How long will it take you to get home from college?

2. How long will it take your friend to get to his office tomorrow?

3. How long will it take her to cook dinner today?

4. How long will it take you to do your work well?

Drill 5.

Have you written the letter yet? No, but I am going to.

1. Has he read the book yet?

2. Have they bought a CD player yet?

3. Have they visited the British Museum yet?

4. Has she read The War and Peace yet?

5. Have they talked about these things yet?

6. Has he posted the letter yet?

Drill 6.

Are you going to walk home or take a bus? I’m going to take a bus.

1. When are you going to finish this book?

2. What are you going to do after the lesson?

3. Are we going to read «Treasure Island»?

4. When are you going to have another party?

5. Where are you going to spend your next holiday?

6. Are you going to visit anybody tomorrow?

7. When are we going to meet again?

Drill 7.

If he works hard, he’ll enter the University. If he doesn’t work hard, he won’t enter the University.

1. If they study hard, they will pass exams without trouble.

2. If he gets good marks, his teacher will be proud of him.

3. If he manages to graduate from college, he will make a doctor.

4. If the boy is clever at chess, he’ll make a good chessplayer.

5. If he marries her, she will take care of his parents.

6. If she is practical, she will manage the house well.

Drill 8.		A. Look at what Jenny and Mark hope will happen in the future. If I don’t go out so much, I’ll do more work. If I do more work, I’ll...
Jenny				Mark
If I ...	don’t go out so much do more work pass my exams go to university study medicine become a doctor earn a good salary ?			If I ...	stop smoking have more money save some every week rich when I’m thirty have my own business make a lot of money retire when I’m forty ?

B.	Ask and answer questions about Jenny and Mark. What will Jenny do if she passes her exams? - She’ll go to university.

Drill 9.

Where is Kitty? (in the garden) She may be in the garden.

1. Where is the doctor? (at the hospital)

2. Where are the boys? (on the river)

3. Where is Mr Miller? (in the garage)

4. Where is the cat? (in the kitchen)

5. Where is Peter? (on the playground)

6. Where is Miss Parker? (at her friends’)

7. Where is Harold? (on the tennis court)

8. Where is Nancy? (at the cinema)

Drill 10.	Will you help tonight? No, but I might help tomorrow.
Will you come tonight? Will he pay tonight? Will it rain tonight? Will she start tonight? Will they play tonight? Will he listen tonight?		Will you answer tonight? Will he swim tonight? Will she dance tonight? Will he sing tonight? Will they arrive tonight?

Drill 11.

Perhaps she is ill. (may) She may be ill.

1. Perhaps it’ll rain later. (might)

2. Perhaps I’ll see you tomorrow. (may)

3. Perhaps they are asleep. (might)

4. Perhaps he doesn’t know the address. (may)

5. Perhaps he isn’t coming now. (might)

6. Perhaps they’re going on holiday. (may)

7. Perhaps you’re right. (might)

8. Perhaps he wants a rest. (may)

9. Possibly she is at home. (might)

10. Possibly the dog is hungry. (may)