Forms used to talk about the future

In english

THE PRESENT SIMPLE AND THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Exercise 1. Comment on the use of the present simple and the present continuous to talk about future events. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. John is going to the dentist on Tuesday morning. 2. The boys start school on Monday. 3. Our daughter is getting married on Saturday. 4. What time does the tennis start tomorrow evening? 5. What time is Cathy arriving tomorrow? 6. A new branch of our shop opens next week. 7. I am having dinner with Ann on Friday. 8. My train leaves at 6 o’clock. 9. Sarah is taking an exam on Monday. 10. The football match takes place on Thursday. 11. My grandparents are celebrating their ‘golden’ wedding next year. 12. Tomorrow is Friday.

Exercise 2. Say that somebody is doing something in the future. Use the verbs in brackets.

Model: We often visit them. (today)

We are visiting them today.

1. Felix plays golf every weekend.(today) 2. Mrs. Hibbert cleans the house regularly.(this afternoon) 3. We sometime go to the zoo. (tomorrow morning) 4. I don’t work on Saturdays.(next Saturday) 5. During the afternoon our boss has meetings with clients.(this afternoon) 6. I often meet Janet after work.(this evening) 7. Mr. Laker, the head of the devision, generally has a talk with newcomers.(this Friday) 8. Tony and his wife eat out every Saturday.(next Saturday) 9. On Tuesday Steve always has lunch with Dr. Walker. (next Tuesday) 10. We go for a picnic every Sunday.(this Sunday) 11. The children always come with us on holiday. (next holiday) 12. He doesn’t usually drive his car.(tomorrow morning) 13. We often stay late at work.(this evening) 14. My parents-in-law come to dine with us every Sunday.(this Sunday) 15. Mr. Turner often comes to tea.(today) 16. Jill and Bert often have a date in Trafalgar Square.(this weekend)

Exercise 3. Put the verbs in brackets into the more suitable form, present simple or present continuous to talk about future events.

1. The conference (start) on June 3rd, and (finish) on June 10th. 2.We (watch) a figure skating competion tonight. 3. The Browns (come) to see us on Sunday. 4. We’ve got plenty of time. Our plane (not to take off) until 9 o’clock. 5. The delegation (leave) Moscow tomorrow. 6. Your plane (leave) in an hour’s time. 7. I (meet) Jason at his office on the 25th. 8. When the next train (leave) for Bristol? 9. She (have) a baby in March. 10. Tonight’s concert (begin) at 8.00 and it (not to end) until 11.00. 11. I (leave) by the 6 o’clock train. 12.The exams (start) at the beginning of January. 13. Our boat (leave) Dover at 2.00 on Friday and (arrive) in Calais at 6.00. 14. Betty (not to come) to the party. 15. I (go) to Italy for the holidays. 16. Our guests (leave) in a minute. 17. Where you (go) for your honeymoon? 18. Next summer the school holidays (begin) on July 27th and (end) on September 10th. 19. A new comedy series (start) on Channel 4 at the end of the week. 20. We (have) visitors tonight, so I must get the dinner ready.

Exercise 4. Put the verbs into the most suitable form, present continuous or present simple.

1. I (go) to the theatre this evening. 2. The film (begin) at 3.30 or 4.30? 3. We (have) a party next Saturday. Would you like to come? 4. The art exhibition (open) on May 3rd and (finish) on July 15th. 5. I (not to go) out this evening. I (stay) at home. 6. You (do) anything tomorrow morning? - No, I’m free. Why? 7. We (go) to a concert tonight. It (begin) at 7.30. 8. Excuse me. What time this train (get) to London? 9. Ann, I (go) to town. You (come) with me? 10. Sue (come) to see us tomorrow. She (travel) by train and her train (arrive) at 10.15. I (meet) her at the station. 11. I (not to use) the car this evening, so you can have it. 12. I’m bored with this programme. When it (finish)? 13. I (not to go) away for my holidays next month because I haven’t got enough money. You (go) away? 14. George, is it true that you (get) married next week? 15. What time the next train (leave)? 16. The football match (start) at 8 o’clock. 17. I (go) to the cinema at the week-end. 18. What time you (meet) Ann tomorrow? 19. The coach (start) at 7 next Friday. 20. We (spend) next winter in Australia.

TO BE GOING + TO INFINITIVE

Exercise 1. Comment on the use of to be going to in the following sentences. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. We are going to spend the month of August in Italy. 2. I’m going to write some letters tonight. 3. My father is going to repair his car tomorrow. 4. Look at those black clouds in the sky. It’s going to rain. We’re going to get wet. 5. Hurry up! It’s getting late. You’re going to miss your train. 6. There’s a film on television tonight. Are you going to watch it? - No, I’m tired. I’m going to have an early night. 7. I feel terrible. I’m going to be sick. 8. He’s going to give a talk at the conference in Berlin next month. 9. I’m studying medicine. I am going to be a doctor. 10. He’s got a new job with a foreign company. He’s going to work abroad. 11. Is Tim going to study maths at university? 12. We sold our flat last month and we are going to live abroad.

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences using to be going to and the verb in brackets.

1. I’ve made up my mind. I (change) my job. - What you (do)? - I’m not sure yet. 2. Why have you bought all that wallpaper? What you (do)? - I (decorate) the living room. 3. He’s decided that he (not to leave) school this summer. He (stay) on for another year. 4. I (buy) a new motorbike. - How you (pay) for it? You haven’t got enough money. - I (ask) my bank to lend me the money. 5. Lynne has just sold her car. - She (buy) a new one? 6. John is very excited. His wife (have) a baby next month. 7.Why have you moved all the furniture out of this room? - I (clean) the carpet. 8. You (be) very surprised when you see the house. 9. John is well ahead of all the other contestants. He (win) the race. 10. I hear Ruth has won some money. What she (do) with it? - She (buy) a new car. 11. This food looks horrible. I (not to eat) it. 12. The man can’t see where he’s walking. There is a hole in front of him. He (fall) into the hole. 13. Smoking is very bad for you. I know. I (give up) it soon. 14. There is a hole in the bottom of the boat. A lot of water is coming in through the hole. The boat (sink). 15. It is 8.30. Jack is leaving his house. He has to be at work at 8.45 but the journey takes 30 minutes. He (late). 16. This is my bus. I (take) it.

Exercise 3. Say what a person is going to do next in the following situations.

Model: There’s a nice cake in front of Tom.(eat)

He is going to eat it.

1. Kate is taking a book from the shelf.(read) 2. The teacher is standing at the blackboard.(write) 3. The Jones’s car is very old.(sell) 4. Jack is switching on the TV set.(watch) 5. William and Joe are on the way to the railway station.(meet) 6. There’s no butter at home.(buy) 7. My job is not well-paid.(change) 8. Our flat is small.(move) 9. I have friends in Boston.(visit) 10. I am very tired.(have a rest). 11. Kate is making tea.(have tea) 12. Jack has bought a new American magazine.(look through) 13. The nurse has a syringe in her hand.(make an injection) 14. Mary is looking through the menu.(order her meal) 15. George is training hard.(take part in a competition) 16. My cousin has just got married.(congratulate)

Exercise 4. Answer the following questions using the prompts.

Model: Is Tom going to play chess this evening?

No, he’s going to watch TV.

1. Are you going to repair your car this weekend?(study English) 2. Is Lucy going to play tennis in the afternoon?(cook) 3. Is Kate going to type in the evening?(write her article) 4. Are you going to have dinner at a restaurant? (canteen) 5. Are going to spend your holidays in the moun-tains? (at the seaside) 6. Are the Browns going to spend the weekend in the country?(in town) 7. Is Peter going to leave on Friday?(Saturday) 8. Is Helen going to apply for a job at Mr. Green’s office?(Mr. Brown’s office) 9. Is Jack going to fix the sink?(Ben) 10. Are Mary and Steve going to take part in the picnic?(to see their parents) 11. Are you going to invite a lot of people to your party?(few) 12. Is your son going to be an engineer? (an architect) 13. Are you going to take me to the pictures?(the theatre) 14. Are the boys going to play cards?(chess) 15. Are you going to be a pilot?(a sailor) 16. Is Fred going to have a shower now?(after supper)

Exercise 5. Complete these sentences using going to or not going to.

Model: I watched Panorama last week, but...(not/next week)