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Unit 3. Future Tenses

Future Simple

We use the Future Simple:

a)to talk about something certain in the future, a fact.

The store will be closed on Sunday. He’ll be forty-five next year.

b)to make a prediction based on our opinions and beliefs. In this case we usually add

a verb ( believe, expect, hope, know, suppose, think, be sure, be afraid, etc.) or an adverb (probably, perhaps) at the beginning .

I think inflation will go up next year.

I am afraid we won’t be on time for the meeting. They will probably agree to the deal.

c)for on-the-spot decisions, when we decide to do something at the moment of speaking.

I’ll have chicken and chips, please.

I will wait for you outside.

d) for promises, offers of help, requests, threats or warnings, etc.

I’ll phone you as soon as I arrive. (promise)

I’ll carry your suitcase to the car. (offer) Will you explain it to me? (request)

Be quiet or I’ll send you out! (warning)

We form the Future Simple with will and the main verb (its infinitive form

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Time expressions used with future forms are:

Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, next week/month/year, tonight, soon, in a week/ month/year, in two hours, in a few days’ time, a year from now, etc.

Note: We can also use shall with I and we:

I will / shall be on holiday in August. We will / shall know the result soon.

Will and shall have the same meaning here, but shall is a little formal. Both will and shall can be shortened to I’ll / we’ll. In spoken English we normally use the short forms: We’ll probably go to Scotland in June.

Shall has other meanings. We can use it in questions for offers, suggestions or asking for instructions:

Shall we go out together? – Good idea. I’ve lost my passport. What shall I do?

Practice

Exercise 1

Fill in the gaps with will (‘ll) or will not (won’t), or form a question with will.

1. You are late. You ……. get there on time. 2. I expect I ……. see Eric at the party the day after tomorrow. 3. ……. he come to work tomorrow? 4. “We haven’t got any milk”. “I ……. buy some”. 5. Put on your coat or you ……. get a cold. 6. I ……. be able to help you tomorrow because I’m busy. 7. Perhaps Rose ……. start looking for a better job. 8. ……. Pete be back in an hour? 9. ‘The ice-cream is melting”. “I ……. put it in the freezer”. 10. ……. you help me to fix the TV? 11. I am afraid I ……. have time to go shopping with you next Saturday. 12. …… you hold the line, please?

Exercise 2

Replace the underlined words with will or won’t. Use contractions where possible.

Example: I promise to speak to my boss about it. I’ll speak to my boss about it.

1.I promise not to discuss this with anyone. _________________________________

2.I offer to meet you at the station. ________________________________________

3.It’s no good – they refuse to negotiate. ___________________________________

4.Mrs. Okada is on another line – I request that you hold. ______________________

5.We need some fresh air. I’ve just decided to open a window. __________________

6.If you aren’t willing to tell him the truth, I am. _____________________________

7.She is not here next week. She is in Stockholm. ____________________________

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Present Continuous for future

a)We can also use the Present Continuous to talk about fixed arrangements, actions that we have already arranged to do in the near future.

Miki is coming from Tokyo office to join our team. I am leaving for Paris tomorrow.

b) The fixed arrangement are often social arrangements and appointments.

I’m playing tennis at 11.00, then after that I’m meeting Jim and Sue for lunch.

c) Present Continuous can have a very similar meaning to be going to. We can often use either form: I am going to meet / am meeting her tomorrow.

But there can be a small difference. Going to is more common when details are not yet finalized – it’s just a plan. The Present Continuous is more common when the details are fixed, with a time and a place – it’s ‘in our diary’.

I am going to give a presentation at the conference. (exact details are still unknown)

I am giving my presentation at 10.30 in room 124. (all the details are fixed)

d)We normally use the Present Continuous (rather than be going to) with verbs that express movement such as: come, go, fly, travel, leave, etc.

Tom is flying to New York on Friday. He has already bought his ticket.

Practice

Exercise 1

Replace the underlined words with a form of going to.

Example: She has an intention to visit some clients in Helsinki next week.

She is going to visit some clients in Helsinki next week.

1.Joe has agreed to attend a meeting instead of me. ___________________________

2.They have decided not to have a stand at the Expo. _________________________

3.We plan to patent this invention. ________________________________________

4.What do you intend to do? _____________________________________________

5.GSK intends to launch a new heart drug. __________________________________

6.I’ve decided to look for another job. _____________________________________

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Exercise 2

Read the evidence in the first sentence. Then use the words in brackets to make a prediction with going to.

1. People are living longer and having fewer children.

(the workforce / get older) The workforce is going to get older.

2. Prices in the shops are rising.

(the trade unions / ask for higher wages) ____________________________________

3. We have to finish the project this month, but there is too much work to do.

(we / have enough time) _________________________________________________

4. The machine is making a strange noise again.

(I think it / break down) _________________________________________________

5. The conference has been postponed because of the earthquake. Mark is calling the airline. (he / cancel his flight)

Exercise 3

Complete the dialogue by putting the verbs into the correct form of present continuous.

Simone: Erica Morrison from Head Office ……. (come) tomorrow to talk about marketing ideas for next year.

Remy: Good. What time ……. (she/arrive)?

Simone: She ……. (get) here at ten, then we ……. (have) a meeting with the senior management team until about twelve.

Remy: …….. (you/take) her out for lunch?

Simone: Yes. We ……. (not/go) anywhere expensive – just a little Italian restaurant round the corner. Would you like to join us?

Exercise 4

Put the verbs into the future. Choose will or going to.

Olga: I’m out of the office this afternoon. I ……. (visit) a customer.

Emil: OK, I ……. (answer) your phone if it rings. Do you want to borrow my umbrella? The weather forecast says it ……. (rain).

Olga: Oh, thanks a lot. I ……. (give) it back to you tomorrow.

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Exercise 5

Complete the telephone dialogue. Put three verbs into the future simple and three into the present continuous. Use contractions.

Nina: Hi Ernesto. Nice to hear from you. How are things in Mexico City?

Ernesto: Oh, everything’s fine here, thanks. Look, (1) I’ll be (I/be) in LA for a few days next week – (2) I’m arriving (I/arrive) at the airport on Tuesday morning, and I thought it would be useful if we could have a meeting at some point.

Nina: Yes, good idea. Let me see. The day you arrive is not very good for me – (3) ……. (I/have) the meeting with a trade delegation from South Korea and I

think (4) …….

(we/probably/continue) the discussions during afternoon. How about Wednesday morning?

Ernesto: OK. On Wednesday (5) ……. (I/see) someone at twelve, but before that I am free. So shall we say 9.00?

Nina: That’s fine. (6) ……. (I/call) you on Tuesday evening to confirm it.

Exercise 6

Fill in the gaps with the future simple, be going to or the present continuous.

1. I think it ……. (snow) on Christmas Day this year. 2. The tree is falling. It ……. (hit) that car! 3. I can’t meet you today. I ……. (have) lunch with my boss in an hour. 4. I’m sure Kate ……. (not/let) you drive her new car. 5. Franz ……. (contact) our suppliers to cancel the order. 6. The goods ……. (arrive) at 12.30 this afternoon. 7. It’s hot in here. I ……. (take off) my sweater. 8. Pamela ……. (have) a baby in June. 9. …. you ….(come) to Paul’s party tonight? – No, I am tired.

Exercise 7

Answer the questions.

1. What are you doing this evening? 2. What are you going to do this weekend? 3. Are you doing anything special tomorrow? 4. Is your friend coming to visit you today? 5. Are you going to buy anything before you go home? 6. Do you think it will be easy to find a job when you graduate? 7. What are you going to wear for New Year’s party?

8. Do you promise you will attend all English classes? 9. Do you suppose Russia will join the WTO one day? 10. Are you going to get a driving license?