Present tenses for future; will; future continuous
CONTEXT LISTENING
You are going to hear a man called Tom having four conversations. Before you listen, look
at the pictures. What do you think Tom’s job is?
Listen and check if you were right.
As you listen, match the conversations with the pictures.
1 ______ 2 ______ 3 ______ 4 ______
Listen again and write the verbs.
Conversation 1
1 Tom’s plane leaves at 11.05.
2 It ______ at Amsterdam airport at 13.40.
3 The conference ______ on Wednesday at 9.30.
Conversation 2
4 I ______ badminton in a few minutes with Paul.
5 I ______ to a conference in Amsterdam tomorrow morning.
6 I ______ my eyes tested on Saturday afternoon.
Conversation 3
7 I probably ______ back in time.
8 I think I ______ a meal in town.
9 I ______ breakfast in my room.
Conversation 4
10 In a hundred years’ time, the world ______ a very different place.
11 There ______ much oil available for energy.
12 People ______ much longer.
Look at your answers and answer these questions.
1. Which sentences are about events fixed by a timetable?
What tense is used?
2. Which sentences are about actions being decided or still not certain?
What tense is used?
3. Which sentences are about arrangements people have made?
What tense is used?
4. Which sentences are about general predictions about the future?
What tense is used?
Log into Learnclick to do the exercise and check your answers.
GRAMMAR
In English, several different tenses are used to talk about the future:
the present simple (➢ see Lesson Present Tenses)
the present continuous (➢ see Lesson Present Tenses)
will/shall, the future continuous
going to (➢ see also Lesson Future 2)
Present simple
We use the present simple for scheduled events with a future meaning:
for timetables (planes, buses, etc. leaving and arriving):
My plane arrives at Amsterdam airport at 13.40.
The London train leaves in half an hour from platform 2.
for programmes (when a conference, a course, a football match, a film, etc. begins and ends):
The conference starts on Wednesday at 9.30.
The match ends at about five o’clock.
for people if their plans are fixed by a timetable:
The students have their written English exam on Monday and the oral on Tuesday.
Jo starts her drama course in two weeks’ time.
Present continuous
We use the present continuous:
for plans which have already been arranged:
People are travelling from all over the world.
What are you doing tomorrow evening?
I’m flying to a conference in Amsterdam. (= already arranged)
I’m having my eyes tested on Saturday afternoon. (= I have an appointment)
will future
In formal English, shall is occasionally used with I/we instead of will. (➢ For the use of shall with offers and suggestions, see Lesson Modals 2 -B2)
We use will:
for decisions made at the moment of speaking:
No, actually, I’ll have breakfast in my room. (he changes his mind)
Thanks for telling me. I’ll ring the office now.
These plates aren’t clean. I’ll put them in the dishwasher.
For anything which is uncertain, especially with probably, maybe, I think, I expect and I hope:
I probably won’t be back in time.
I think I’ll get a meal in town.
I expect you’ll be tired after the match.
We hope you’ll visit us again soon.
for situations that we predict will happen but which are not definitely decided or arranged:
In 100 years the world will be a very different place. There will be millions more people but there won’t be much oil available for energy. (= nobody knows definitely what the world will be like in 100 years)
! Compare:
I’m taking my History exam again tomorrow. (= arranged)
I’ll get higher marks this time. (= not something which is arranged or decided in advance – a hopeful prediction)
We can also use will:
for something in the future which doesn’t depend on personal judgment:
I’ll be 23 on my next birthday. (= I can’t change this, it will just happen)
There’ll be a full moon tomorrow.
Future continuous
+ will be + verb + -ing
She’ll be working at 7.30.
– will not be + verb + -ing
She won’t be working at 7.30.
? will … be + verb + -ing?
Will she be working at 7.30?
We use the future continuous
for an event which is going on at a particular time or over a period of time in the future:
I’ll be working at seven o’clock. (= I will start before seven and I will continue after seven)
! Compare:
I’ll be interviewing him at 6.30. (= the interview begins before 6.30 and continues afterwards)
I’m interviewing him at 6.30. (= the interview is arranged to begin at 6.30)
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