FUTURE TENSES AND FORMS
THE PRESENT SIMPLE
calendar references
e.g. Christmas is on a Tuesday next year.
Next week I have my operation. Then I go on holiday…
to describe fixed events which are not the speaker's wishes.
e.g. Tom retires in three years.
to definite future arrangement (with a time expression).
e.g. The boys start school on Monday. (simple is more impersonal and indicates that this is a part of a plan not necessarily made by me, it can also sound more formal)
THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS
to express a definite arrangement in the near future or to ask about it.
e.g. I'm taking an exam in October.
What are doing on Saturday?
BE GOING TO
to express intention for the near future (alternative to present continuous)
e.g. I'm going to meet Tim at the station at six.
in time clauses when we want to emphasize the subject's intention
e.g. He's going to be a doctor when he grows up.
to express the speaker's feeling of certainty, the time is usually not mentioned but the action is expected to happen in the near or immediate future
e.g. Listen to the wind. We're going to have a rough crossing.
it can be used in this way after such verbs as be sure/afraid, believe, think
e.g. How pale that girl is! I'm sure she is going to faint.
it's very unusual to put come or go into the be going to form (use present continuous instead)
THE FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE
to express intention at the moment of speaking
e.g. The phone is ringing. I'll answer it.
to express the speaker's opinions, assumptions, speculations about the future with words like: assume, be afraid, be/feel secure, believe, daresay, doubt, expect, hope, know, suppose, think, wonder, perhaps, possibly, probably, surely
e.g. I hope it won't rain.
to express future habitual actions which we assume will take place
e.g. Spring will come again.
in newspapers and news broadcasts for formal announcements of future plans and weather forecasts
e.g. The fog will persist in all areas.
to express invitation, request or command
e.g. Will you have a cigarette?
the future construction becomes the simple present in time clauses
e.g. As soon as I hear from her, I will let you know.
the future perfect construction becomes the present perfect
e.g. When I have finished my paper, I will hand it to the teacher.
in sentences containing clauses of condition
e.g. If I drop this glass, it will break.
THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
an action in progress at a certain point in the future
e.g. This time tomorrow we will be sitting in the classroom.
to express future without intention
e.g. I will be helping Mary tomorrow. (it does not imply that the speaker has arranged to help Mary or that he wishes to help her, it only states that this action will happen anyway)
in some contexts it sounds more polite than will
e.g. Will you be going to the shops later? Could you get me some milk?
to refer to fixed arrangements and plans
e.g. The band will be performing live this summer.
to express logical assumption about the present
e.g. He will be sleeping now. (It's midnight)
THE FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
it is normally used with a time expression beginning with by: by then, by the time, by the 24th
e.g. By the end of next month he will have been here for ten years.
it is used for an action at a given future time will be in the past
e.g. I save $50 every month and I started in January. So by the end of the year I will have saved $600.
logical assumption about the past
e.g. It's midnight. She will have gone to bed by now.
THE FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
like the future perfect it is normally used with an expression beginning with by
e.g. By the end of this year I will have been teaching for twenty years.
to express duration of an action up to a certain time in the future
We use by/before in positive sentences, until in negative sentences.
e.g. She will have finished the report by tomorrow.
She won't have completed the report until/ till 5 o'clock.
OTHER WAYS TO EXPRESS FUTURE
is / are to be - to describe formal arrangements
e.g. All the students are to assemble in the hall at 9.00.
be about to / be on the point of / be on the verge of - to refer to the next moment - właśnie mieć coś zrobić
e.g. I think the play is about to start. Mary is on the point of resigning.
be due to - to refer to scheduled times
e.g. The play is due to start in five minutes.
just/just about to - to describe something on the point of happening - właśnie mieć coś zrobić
e.g. Hurry up! The train is just leaving/just about to leave.
be bound to - to refer to future prediction of certainty - ktoś/coś napewno coś zrobi
e.g. It's bound to rain tomorrow.