There are several ways of referring to future time in English.

Some make use of tenses youve already studied.

Lets see some of them, the most common:

Ill be home for Christmas.

ll= WILL

Ill wait for you forever.

Im going to buy a new camera.

m going=

be going to

s coming=

present continuous

Shes coming next Wednesday.

My flight leaves in 4 hours.

leaves = present

simple

School is to start on the 18th of September this year.

is to start= to

be + infinitive

Were about to start singing.

re about to =

be about to + infinitive

1. Be going to* and The Present Continuous

Future plans

Future decisions
Future arrangements

Both can be used to refer to future events when the speaker is greatly
involved in the decision-making process:

What are you going to drink?

What are you drinking?
* be going to is more frequent in spoken and informal contexts.

Be going to and The Present Continuous

Future plans

Shes not going to borrow my car.

Shes not borrowing my car.

Be going to and The Present Continuous

Future decisions

Who are you going to choose?

Who are you choosing?

Be going to and The Present Continuous

Future arrangements
Karens going to arrive tomorrow.
Karens arriving tomorrow.

Be going to

differences

The Present
Continuous

Usually indicates that a decision has been Usually indicates that a decision has been
made and that the necessary plans are
made and the event will happen soon, but
the necessary plans have not yet been made. probably in place or have been made.

Im going to take a taxi. Im late!

Im starting a new job next week.

2. Be going to* and Will

Predictions
Both can be used to make predictions based on present evidence or
the present situation:

Hurry up! Were going to be late!

Hurry up! Well be late!

* be going to is more frequent in spoken and informal contexts.

Be going to

Will

is Usually used when there is some evidence Is Usually preferred when evidence is not so
obvious or is less immediately relevant, or
for what is said or when the statement can
when judgements or opinions have to be
be clearly interpreted.
relied on:
She is going to have a baby.

The baby will have black hair.

Will
Absolute Certainties
My birthday will fall on a Tuesday this year.

Will
Ill have the fried
mushrooms.

FORMAL

Be going to
Im going to have the fried
mushrooms.

INFORMAL

3. Will/Shall (The Future Tense Simple)

Intention

Volition

Both can be used to make someones will or intention clear:

I will not do it! You cant make me!

I shall be at the station to meet you!

Shall
often occurs with I and we.

We shall find something else for

you to do.

Will
may be used for all persons

She will find something to do.

Shall
also has a specialised legal usage for stating rules, laws and so on.
The insured shall remain the sole owner of the vehicle.

Will/Shall
Requests

Offers

Both can be used to make offers and suggestions of future actions.:

Oh, that looks heavy. Ill carry it for you.

Shall I close the door?
Will you turn that music down! Enough is enough!

4. The Future Tense Continuous

In progress in the future

It can be used when there is reference to something that will be in progress

at some specified or understood time in the future :

Next week Ill be swimming every day in the ocean.

Dont worry. Ill be waiting for you at the station.

The Future Tense Continuous

Due to happen
It can also be used to refer to events which are due to happen.

They may also result in other events taking place or make other events possible:

Shell be starting school soon, I suppose. Well need to

shop for supplies and clothes and all.

The Future Tense Continuous

Soft questions
It can also be used to soften questions about the future and make them
more polite or sensitive to a circumstance:

Will you be coming back on Friday or Saturday morning?

Will you be attending the funeral?

5. Present Simple
Schedules

Firm arrangements

Timetables

Present Simple can be used for references to fixed events in the future :

I leave on Monday and Im back on Friday.

The plane takes off at 3:45 this afternoon.

6. The Future Perfect Tense Simple

Regular verbs
clean cleaned

lie- lied
stop - stopped
cancel cancelled
Irregular verbs
be - been
have had
do done

eat - eaten

The Future Perfect Tense Simple

Already completed
The Future Perfect Tense Simple is used when there is

references to something that is seen as already completed before a certain time.

Normally future time adverbials are required to

complete the meaning:

We will have finished our project by2.

We will have left the office by that time.

1.At the end of this decade, many people will have bought fuel-efficient
cars.
Correct

Incorrect

2.In the next ten years, many people will have bought fuel-efficient cars.
Correct

Incorrect

3.For the next ten years, many people will have bought fuel-efficient cars.
Correct

Incorrect

4.By the end of this decade, many people will have bought fuel-efficient
cars.
Correct

Incorrect

5.By 2020, many people will have bought fuel-efficient cars.

Correct

Incorrect

By the time a child is one year old, she will wear/will have worn
3,500 diapers. A child will wear/will have worn diapers until 18 to
30 months old. When a child is two months old, she will begin/ will
have begun making sounds with her lips. By the time a child is
five, he will develop/ will have developed his ability and be able to
speak in sentences. Each month, parents will spend/will have spent
about $900 per child on food, including lunch money. By the time a
child is 15, he will visit/will have visited the doctor an average of
60 times!
As a teenager, a child will eat/will have eaten up to three times
more food. At age 16, the child will expect/will have expected to get
his or her driver's licence. By the time a child is 17, the parents will
spend/will have spent $9,990 in health insurance. When the child is
17, she will consider/will have considered which college to attend.
By the time the child is 18, he will cost/will have cost $426,190,
including college tuition, to raise!

7. The Future Perfect Tense Continuous

In progress

The Future Perfect Tense Continuous indicates that an event will be

in progress at a particular time in the future and additionally highlights the

duration of the event.
Normally future time adverbials are required to
complete the meaning:

By 6 oclock they will have been talking for three hours.

8. FUTURE IN THE PAST

would and was going to
FORM Would

FORM Was/Were Going To

[would + VERB]

[was/were + going to + VERB]

I knew you would help him.

I knew you would not help him.

I knew you were going to go to

the party.
I knew you were not going to go
to the party.

would" is sometimes used to

volunteer or promise

"was going to" is mostly used to

plan

I knew Julie would make dinner.

(voluntary action)

I told you he was going to

come to the party. (plan)

No Future in Time Clauses

Future (will/shall/would) cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions such as:
when, while, before,
after, by the time, as,
as soon as, if, once, until,
unless, etc.
Other tenses are used:
As youre coming into the village, youll see a pub on the right. Stop there.
If I win this set of knives, I will give to my mom, as a gift.

9. Other Modal verbs

Might

There might be a student demonstration next week

against the rise in university fees.

May

Do you think you may go camping again this

summer?

Can

Can you cope with the kids this afternoon?

Could

She could arrive tonight, were not sure.

Must

You must come here tomorrow at ten oclock.

10. Be to
1. May be used for future reference in the context of obligation, requirements,
formal decisions, etc.

What am I to say to them? We promised them this trip.

2. May be used for giving instructions, orders or commands.

You are never to stir out of doors unless you study harder!

11. Be about to and other forms

Are used for future events that occur immediately.

He is about to resign.
They are on the point of issuing a statement.
People are on the verge of despair.
Is that the plane that is due to arrive at 22.25?
England are likely to lose their next match against Spain.
Theyre supposed to meet us at the station.