Future

Tenses
 There are 4 Future Tenses in English:

o Future simple
o Future continuous
o Future perfect simple
o Future perfect continuous
There are also other verb forms and tenses we
use to talk about the future:

o Be going to
o Present simple
o Present continuous
o Might/ May
 The Future
1. Will and be + going + to are often used to describe future actions.
Thomas will graduate in June.
Maria is going to go to Mexico next week.

2. The Simple Present and

3. Present Continuous are also used to express future time. These are often
used used in connection with schedules.
She is meeting a new client at eleven oclock.
The train leaves at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.

4. May/Might is used to express future possibility

Take your umbrella. It may/might rain.
 I will help you.
She will call me when I arrive.
will + V1

He is going to spend his

be going vacation in London.
Im going to be an actor when

to + V1 I grow up.
We use will" to
A: Im really hungry.
express a voluntary
B: I will make some sandwiches.
action

We use will" to I promise I will not tell him about the

express a promise surprise party

We use will to express

a spontaneous decision A: The phone is ringing.
(the action is decided B: I will answer.
at the moment of
speaking)
We use will to request help Will you please help me to do my
or offer help homework?

We use will with words and

expressions like probably, I will probably get there by car.
possibly, perhaps, Im sure,
I expect

We use will when the

main verb is be even if
I will be in London tomorrow.
we talk about the planned
events
Shall can be used instead of will with I and we,
especially in more formal English.
Shall is more frequent in British English.

I shall be there at 10 oclock.

shall not = shant
We shant be able to come.
We use be going to to
talk about prior plans,
I am going to buy a new car next year.
strong intentions, or
fixed arrangements

We use both will or

The weather tomorrow will be sunny.
be going to to predict
You are going to be a famous artist.
future events.

Note: we use be going to

(not will) to make
Look at those dark clouds in the sky. It
predictions about events
when there is a concrete
is going to rain soon.
evidence.
No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning
with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if,
unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct
When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
You will never help him.
Will you ever help him?
You are never going to meet Jane.
Are you ever going to meet Jane?
-We use Present Simple to talk about schedules or
timetables in the future.
The bus leaves at midnight and arrives in Edinburgh at five.
The concert tonight starts at 8.30.

- We use Present Simple to talk about future events

that we cannot change.
ex. The train leaves at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
We use Present Continuous to talk about definite
arrangements for the future something we have
already decided on for the future.
Sorry, I cant help you. Im leaving in the morning.
She is meeting a new client at eleven oclock.
When it is clear that we mean the future, the Present
Continuous and going to + infinitive are often
interchangeable.
But generally we use the Present Continuous to show
that something has been arranged for the
future, while we use going to to show that we
intend to do something in the future.
1. We use will be + ing for an activity that will be in progress at a time in the future.
Next year, Ruth will be studying art in Paris.
Ill be waiting for you at the entrance at 2 oclock.

2. to indicate that a longer action in the future will be interrupted by a shorter action in the
future. Remember this can be a realinterruption or just an interruption in time.
I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight.
I will be waiting for you when your bus arrives.

3. to indicate a specific time as an interruption in the future

Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.
(I will be in the process of eating dinner.)
At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert.
(We will be in the process of driving through the desert.)
4. to indicate Parallel Actions in the Future

When you use the Future Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the
idea that both ations will be happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner.

Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

You will still be waiting for her when her plane arrives.
Will you still be waiting for her when her plane arrives?
Form: Subj+ WILL+HAVE+ V PAST PARTICIPLE

Meaning: completed action before a point in the future.

Emphasis on the RESULT

By 9:00 tomorrow Ill have passed my test.

 1. We use will have + past participle (The Future Perfect)
for something that will be completed or will have happened before another action at a certain
time in the future.
By this time next week, I will have finished all my exams.

2. Completed Action Before Something in the Future

The Future Perfect expresses the idea that something will occur before another action in
the future. It can also show that something will happen before a specific time in the
future.
By next November, I will have received my promotion.
By the time he gets home, she is going to have cleaned the entire house.
3. Duration Before Something in the Future (Non Continuous Verbs)
we use the Future Perfect to show that something will continue up until another action in the
future.
I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.
By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.

No Future in Time Clauses

REMEMBER !!!
Like all future forms, the Future Perfect cannot be used in clauses beginning with
time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon
as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Perfect, Present Perfect is used.

I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework. Not Correct
I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

You will only have learned a few words.

Will you only have learned a few words?
 This
time next week Ill be doing my
exams. (Ill be in the middle)

This
time next week Ill have done my
exams. (I wont have any more
exams.)
Lets have a flash forward. Imagine yourself this time next
Saturday. Its afternoon, so .....what do you think Ill be doing?

This time (at 17:00) next Saturday, Ill be

having a siesta

Thats something in progress at some time in

the future. Itll have started before 17:00
and itll continue after 17:00
Form: Subj +WILL+BE+V ING

Meaning: action in progress in a point in the

future.
Emphasis on the PROCESS

By 9:00 tomorrow Ill be passing the test.

 finishes law school

will have been living in the

U.S. for eight years

1. The Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes the duration of an action or a habitual action
before another time in the future. The length of time is usually given in the sentence. We
often use for or since with the future perfect continuous.
Ex. By the time you read this, you will have been listening to Vicki for several hours.

2. The future perfect continuous may begin at any time before the other future action; it
may even begin in the past.
At the end of the semester, Lara will have been dreaming about soccer since last June.
1) Do you want to go out tomorrow night? Ill
phone / Im phoning you later to let you
know when we can meet.
2) Joan will have /is going to have a baby. She
has just told me the news.
3) Are you hot? Will / Shall I open the window?
1) Do you want to go out tomorrow night? Ill
phone you later to let you know when we
can meet.
2) Joan is going to have a baby. She has just
told me the news.
3) Are you hot? Shall I open the window?
4) Please dont phone at 9 oclock. I am
watching / I will be watching something
interesting on television.
5) I wonder what we will be doing / will do this
time next year.
6) I hope I am finishing / will have finished this
book by this time next year.
4) Please dont phone at 9 oclock. I will be
watching something interesting on
television.
5) I wonder what we will be doing this time
next year.
6) I hope I will have finished this book by this
time next year.
7) I will go / am going to Canada in the
summer. Ive already got my tickets.
8) Were late. The film is starting / will have
started by the time we get there.
9) When will the doctor be free? You told me
that it wouldnt take long, but soon I will
have been waiting / will wait for an hour.
7) I am going to Canada in the summer. Ive
already got my tickets.
8) Were late. The film will have started by the
time we get there.
9) When will the doctor be free? You told me
that it wouldnt take long, but soon I will
have been waiting for an hour.
10) My cousin will come /is coming to visit
London. I havent decided where to take her,
but I think Ill take /Im taking her for the
tour of the north.
11) The bus will have left / is about to leave.
Hurry up!
12) He hasnt studied at all. He is failing / is
going to fail this exam.
10) My cousin is coming to visit London. I
havent decided where to take her, but I
think Ill take her for the tour of the north.
11) The bus is about to leave. Hurry up!
12) He hasnt studied at all. He is going to fail
this exam.
In a sentence about the future we do
not use will after when or other
temporals in the time clause. Instead,
we use the present tense, usually the
Present Simple.
I will come out when you ring the bell.
What will she do after she hears the news?
 when after before
as soon as until / till by the time once
the moment (that) immediately while
While can be followed by the Present
Continuous:
Ill finish this letter while youre reading the
paper.
 As soon as he receives the results, hell leave
for London.
You must stop writing the moment I tell you.
She wont talk to you till you apologise.
By the time we arrive, youll have been there
for hours.
1) Well leave for home as soon as it (stop) __
raining.
2) What will you do after you (leave) __
school?
3) We are leaving the moment Jo (arrive) __ .
4) Dont do anything before the police officer
(tell) __ us what to do.
1) Well leave for home as soon as it stops
raining.
2) What will you do after you leave school?
3) We are leaving the moment Jo arrives.
4) Dont do anything before the police officer
tells us what to do.
5) Can you look after the baby while I (go) __
to the shops?
6) By the time we (get) __ there, all the food
will be gone.
7) Please phone me immediately you (get) __
home.
8) You must go straight home after the party
(end) __.
5) Can you look after the baby while I go / am
going to the shops?
6) By the time we get there, all the food will be
gone.
7) Please phone me immediately you get home.
8) You must go straight home after the party
ends.